The Summer Was Everything
by MissSingItAll
Summary: For the summer, Bella gets a part-time job. To her, it means a chance to make extra cash. To Edward, it means the end of his days as a quiet loner. A story of love, loneliness, and learning to be yourself without apology.
1. First Outings

**Hey guys! Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews of my other story "I'll Be the Light." It means so much to me that everyone enjoyed it, and if you haven't read it yet, go give it a try!**

**I decided to post this story after tons of internal debate. I felt pressured by the hype of my other story and I didn't want to disappoint everybody. This started off as a one-shot that eventually grew and grew in my mind. So I'm anxiously posting the first chapter here and, depending on the reception, I might start posting more.**

**I'll be 100% honest and say that I have no idea where this story is going to go. So, I might not be posting updates on a consistent basis until I figure it out. Please bare with me, as I'm still getting into the groove of writing this.**

**The story will be in Bella's point of view unless otherwise stated.**

**Thanks so much, and enjoy (hopefully)!**

**~MissSingItAll**

**Disclaimer for the ENTIRE STORY: I'll say this once, so I don't have to keep coming up with clever ways to say it. I do not own anything affiliated with Twilight. Stephenie Meyer owns all characters and material.**

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_**A sense of duty is useful in work, but offensive in personal relations. People wish to be liked, not be endured with patient resignation. - Bertrand Russell**_

**Chapter One - First Outings**

It's been over a month, but I finally did it. I _finally_ found a part-time job for the summer. Living in the small town of Forks didn't give you many opportunities for work, and I was having the toughest time trying to find some way to make some extra cash before the next school year. Luckily I stumbled, quite literally, into an open opportunity at the Thriftway while I was shopping for my father.

It was the beginning of June, and I was trying to manage pushing the cart full of food and reading the grocery list at the same time. I had pulled to a stop by the veggies and turned to walk to the plastic bags, my eyes still glued to the list. It was only a second before I found myself running into a soft, perfumed wall.

"Oh!" I cried, stumbling backward. I brushed my long brown hair out of my face. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going."

"It's no problem, dear," the voice was motherly and familiar. I looked up to see Mrs. Cullen, wife of our celebrated town doctor. She was dressed in a casual green tunic and khakis, her caramel locks spilling over her shoulders. She held a bag of lettuce in one of her hands, the other clutching a list similar to mine. "How are you? It's Isabella, right?"

"Bella," I corrected, flushing slightly. "I'm doing well."

"Shopping for the man of the house, I see," she smiled, nodding over to my cart. I nodded back, shifting my weight uncomfortably from foot to foot. I was never a pro at social situations.

"How is Alice?" I asked, trying to make small talk. Alice Cullen had been in my English class this past year, but we rarely talked, mostly due to the fact that I never said a word unless I was called upon. She had a fraternal twin brother too, but I had never met him.

"Oh, she's fine, just shopping up a storm nearly everyday," Mrs. Cullen laughed, her green eyes sparkling. "That is, when she isn't working at the shoe boutique at the mall."

"I wish I could say the same," I sighed. Her eyebrows raised questioningly.

"Are you looking for a job?"

"Yes, but I haven't had any luck so far," I replied.

"Hmmm," Mrs. Cullen placed the lettuce in her cart, her lips pursed together. Then she turned back to me, her hands going to her hips. "Maybe I can help with that."

"Really?"

"Well, I was just thinking that I might need some extra help this summer. I started up a kind of catering business - I love to cook, you see - but it's getting a little bit hard to manage along with my current design job. I simply don't have much time to deliver food orders, what with my office being on the other side of town. I was thinking that you could possibly be my delivery driver."

I chewed the inside of my cheek, thinking this over. Forks wasn't a huge place, and my schedule _was _completely open.

"I'll pay you for your work and gas," Mrs. Cullen offered. My decision was made.

"I'd love to help out," I said, and Mrs. Cullen grinned.

"Wonderful! Let me just give you my number..." She turned to fish around in her purse. After scribbling down her phone number and giving me a quick hug, I finally had a job.

* * *

I pulled up to the secluded Cullen mansion for my first day of work on a Tuesday afternoon. The sky was dark and smothered with heavy-looking clouds. I hopped out of my beast of a truck, pulling my jacket more tightly around myself.

_Wow, they are definitely loaded, _I thought as I made my way up the neat drive. The front of the massive house was very traditional, white siding and deep blue shutters. A concrete fountain sat in the middle of the small pond that decorated the front lawn. Large bushes and bunches of colorful flowers lined pathway. Meekly, I faced the cherry oak front door as I rang the doorbell.

"Ah, Bella! Right on time! Please, come on in," Mrs. Cullen greeted me cheerily as I stepped into the grand foyer. I looked around as I slipped off my shoes, marveling at the space. Every single aspect of the room was tastefully arranged around a kind of modern theme, probably Mrs. Cullen's doing. I followed her into the massive kitchen, where I was nearly blinded by all of the glittering chrome appliances.

"Now, this order is going to the Webers' place. You know them?" she asked, stopping in front of an island counter topped with a few open boxes full of food. It smelled absolutely amazing.

"Yes, Angela is one of my friends. This looks incredible, Mrs. Cullen," I remarked, facing her on the other side of the island.

"Oh please, call me Esme," she said with a shake of her head. "And thank you, I try my best. Now, I've told them that you'll be on your way soon, but I need you to come back afterward so I can get the church's order ready as well."

"Okay," I said, moving forward to help her pack up the food. We took the boxes out to my truck and loaded them in the seat next to me. After securing everything and making sure that I had my cell phone handy, Esme waved me off and I steered my way toward Angela's.

My knowledge of Forks' geography had really grown since I had moved here almost a year ago. I had left my mother in sunny Phoenix to live with my father Charlie, giving her the space that she and Phil, her current husband, needed. Although I was sad to leave, I had really wanted to get to know the father that had only made guest appearances in my life as I was growing up. Charlie was surprisingly thrilled to have me here, and within a few days everyone in town had been acquainted with the Police Chief's daughter. I mostly kept to myself; after the novelty of being the new girl had worn off, I was left with a few friends and a quiet home to return to everyday after school. It was the way I liked it, but once the summer started I knew I had to branch out and find a job.

I pulled up to the Webers' home and slipped out of my truck, pulling the hood of my jacket over my long hair as a light drizzle of rain began to fall. I skipped up to the door and rang the doorbell, looking over my shoulder out at the street. The door opened, and Angela stepped out, smiling.

"Bella! So you're working for Mrs. Cullen now, huh?" she said, moving to follow me to my truck.

"Yeah, I finally found some work. I was lucky." I continued to catch up with Angela as we brought the boxes into the kitchen. After a few minutes of chatting, Angela handed me the check for Esme. I thanked her and made my way back to my truck, ready to go back to the Cullen house.

When I returned to that oak door, I discovered that it was unlocked. I quietly pushed it open and walked into the kitchen, where Esme was piling large amounts of food into even more boxes.

"There you are! I'm just about finished. This all just needs to go to the church, they're having some kind of meeting tonight. Is it raining outside? Oh, silly me, it's always raining, this is Forks..." Esme was a ball of energy, seeming to bounce from counter to counter, organizing the boxes that were filling the entire room with a delicious aroma.

The next trip was similar to the last. The church was a little bit deeper into the town, and I had to drive around for a little bit to find a parking spot close enough. A few church members came out to help take everything in, and after taking Esme's check I hopped back into my truck, throwing my head back against the headrest. The rain was pouring more heavily now, pelting down on the roof of my truck. I sighed, glad that I was just about finished when my cell phone started going off next to me. I answered it, seeing Esme's name flash across the screen.

"Hello?"

"Oh, Bella, I know that I told you that you were done after the church thing, but I have a favor to ask of you, if you don't mind?" Esme said.

"Sure," I replied, not wanting to get on her bad side my first day of work.

"Do you think that you could pick up my son? He's down at the diner and it seems that his friends have gone off without him, and I don't want him walking home in this weather," she sighed, concerned.

"Um, sure, that's fine. What's his name?" I asked, never having met the other Cullen.

"Edward. He's got a head full of crazy hair, you can't miss him."

"Okay, I'm on my way." We finished talking and I started my truck, finding my way to the main road that led to the diner.

* * *

The diner was moderately full; mostly people were there for shelter from the rain. As I pulled up to the small building, I scanned the entryway, looking for any teenage boys who looked like they were waiting for a ride. Seeing no one, I craned my neck to glance inside the large glass windows.

There were mostly full tables at every window except for one. At one table down at the far end of the diner, there was a lone boy hunched over a coffee mug. He was staring out at the window, searching through the raindrops for something. He lifted a hand and ran it through his large mop of bronze hair, only making it even messier. His eyes landed on my truck, and then, after a few seconds of staring, he scooted out of his seat. He picked up his coat and disappeared into the large crowd of people by the diner counter.

A few seconds later he emerged from the front door and came to a stop just a few feet from the passenger door of my truck. I waved at him to come in, and with a few quick strides he was pulling open the door and sliding in.

"Hi," he greeted me, a little breathless. "You're Bella, right? My mom said you were coming." He buckled his seat belt.

"Yeah, um, Edward, right?" I confirmed, and he nodded. Up close, Edward was absolutely gorgeous. His face was smooth and sculpted, and he had the same bright green eyes as his mother. His hair was a mix of bronze and gold and red, and the muscles around his neck and shoulders disappeared under his black t-shirt and brown leather jacket. His eyebrow arched up in confusion. I blushed as I realized that I had been ogling him for a good minute, and turned quickly away. I shifted gears and pulled us out of the parking lot.

"Thanks for picking me up. My other friends ditched me," he said, and it was hard to tell whether he was joking around or if he was actually sad about this. His voice was soft and muted, like he never talked much to begin with.

"It's no problem. I was finished delivering your mom's stuff anyway," I replied.

"Oh that's right, you're doing her catering stuff," he shifted a little in the seat.

"Yup." That was about all the conversation that happened. We fell into an awkward silence as I drove us through the town into the secluded neighborhood in which he lived. I had turned the radio on after the silence had gone on far too long to be comfortable. Every now and then I'd sneak a glance at Edward, barely moving my head as I did so. His profile was just as stunning, his pointed nose and full lips facing forward. His large hands were resting in his lap, and sometimes he would drum his fingers on his thighs to the beat of the music.

I finally convinced myself to keep my eyes on the road; I didn't want to give Esme a reason to fire me on the first day. We eventually pulled up to his home, and I made sure to go all the way up the driveway so he didn't have far to walk. After thanking me again, Edward quietly slipped out of the car and made his way up to the door, the rain pelting him quickly.

I sat parked in the driveway, trying to figure out what was wrong with me. There was a perfectly cute boy sitting next to me the entire drive, and I made no attempt to even flirt with him. Of course, knowing me, flirting would not go well at all. A guy like him probably wouldn't even be remotely interested in someone like me. I was an absolute bore, plain and neutral, like the color of the walls at school. Sighing, I shifted into reverse and started on my way home.

* * *

Working for Esme was surprisingly easy. She always made sure that everything was packed and ready so that all I had to do was load everything in the truck and go. The rest of the week continued this way; me often stopping by in the evenings to pick up and deliver meals all over Forks.

I didn't see Edward again after dropping him off. I figured that he was off with his friends enjoying the summer, probably never needing a summer job. The memory of his eyes, though, that was what stuck with me. Even though we didn't speak much, I could see that his eyes were filled with so much. They were large and stoic, and yet tinged with a sadness that confused me. I found myself thinking about them often.

After about two and a half weeks of work, Esme's catering business started to really pick up. Word-of-mouth caused an increase in orders, and eventually I was having to come earlier to the Cullen home to help Esme out. I wasn't as good of a cook as she was, but I could hold my own in the kitchen. Years of cooking for my mother, and eventually my father, had actually given me moderately good skills.

As the end of June neared, I found myself once again in the Cullen kitchen, mixing a large bowl of cake batter as Esme bustled along next to me, placing cookies within tiny cellophane bags. She had received an order for a baby shower, and we spent most of the morning making lots of different sweets for the party, which was later on in the afternoon.

"There we are," Esme sighed, tying the last cookie into its bag. She turned to me, looking at the bowl in my hands. "That's just right, I think. You can pour it into the pan now, honey."

I tipped the contents of the bowl into the greased pan next to me. As Esme watched me, she spoke up again.

"You're doing a great job, Bella. I'm so glad I hired you," she said, smiling.

"Thanks, Esme. I'm happy to help," I replied, scraping the last of the batter into the pan. She picked up the pan from the counter and slid it into the oven. After shutting the door, Esme turned back to me, looking at me apologetically.

"I know that you already do so much around here, but I'd like to ask you for one more favor, if I may?"

"Sure." I wiped my flour dusted hands on the thighs of my jeans.

"Would you mind taking Edward with you when you go out later?"

"Uh...that's fine?" It came out like a question. Take Edward with me?

"Yes, well, you see," Esme moved to sit on one of the sleek stools that lined the counter, "I'm kind of worried about him. He's a wonderful young man, but he doesn't really have anyone to spend time with the way his sister does. In fact, I'm sure that the only people that he goes out with are Alice and all her friends. And I can tell that he doesn't actually bond with them at all. He's just so lonely, I can see it in his eyes."

Esme's voice grew strained and she lifted a manicured hand to wipe at the corners of her eyes. "Maybe if he spent some time with you, things would be better."

My eyes widened. Truly I felt bad for Esme and Edward, but to pair him with me? The girl who spoke only when asked? The girl who lacked any kind of charm or charisma or any of that stuff that truly social people had? She was asking for a miracle.

"I'll see what I can do," I responded. Her entire face lit up gratefully, and she slipped off the stool to give me a hug.

"Thank you so much, Bella," she murmured in my ear. "You'll help him. I know you can."

We pulled apart, and after a few more sniffles, Esme turned back into a powerhouse, getting together the ingredients for the cake frosting and stuffing everything into boxes. We spent the rest of the time finishing the order, packaging everything in boxes. Finally, at about a half hour before I was due to deliver everything, Esme called for her son.

"Edward! Can you come down here please?"

We heard the sound of his large footsteps echo down the stairs. Edward rounded the corner, his appearance stunning me just as much as the first time I had seen him. He was dressed simply in a t-shirt and jeans, his hair wild around his head. His eyes shot to me for a quick second, and then to his mother, inquisitive.

"Can you go with Bella and drop all this off at that baby shower? I just don't want anything to get ruined," Esme's voice was kind, but firm. Edward shrugged his shoulders.

"Sure," he said. He moved forward to grab a few of the boxes. "Lead the way."

I grabbed another box and my keys and led Edward out to the driveway. We placed the boxes onto dry blankets that I had placed in the bed of my truck. Esme came out with the last box, the cake, and handed it to Edward so he could hold it in his lap while I drove.

"Take your time and drive safe," Esme called out as I pulled out of the driveway. We both waved as we drove off, turning onto one of the main streets.

We were silent, just like the last time I had driven him. I knew Esme was counting on me, and I also knew that I probably had to make the first move in getting to know Edward. I cleared my throat.

"So...how's your summer going?" I asked, keeping my gaze locked in the road in front of me.

"It's alright, I guess," he replied. "How's yours?"

"Uh, fine." _Come on Bella, you gotta keep going. Isn't there anything interesting you can say?_ I tapped my fingers nervously against the steering wheel. "Um...so where is your sister these days? I haven't seen her around at all."

"Well, she works at that shoe place at the mall, but other than that she probably is at her boyfriend's house. You know Jasper Hale?" His voice was just as quiet as I remembered.

"I think so." I recalled seeing a lanky blonde at school, but I didn't think that he and Alice were dating at the time.

"That's him," Edward confirmed, resting his large hands on the sides of the box in his lap. After another minute, we were back into that awkward silence. There wasn't any time to start talking again, though, because we finally reached the house where the baby shower was being held.

I pulled us into the driveway and shut off the car. We both walked to the bed of the truck and I grabbed a couple of boxes. Edward stood holding the cake box, watching me silently. After I had gotten a grip on everything, we walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. A woman came out of the house and helped us load everything inside. She was loud and slightly scatterbrained, and she was so busy trying to multi-task that I had to timidly remind her about the payment before we left. She quickly wrote off a check and shoved it into my hand while two little boys ran around us chasing each other. I felt like I was going to get a headache if I stayed any longer.

Edward and I were relieved when we finally left the house and were situated in the quiet of my truck. I started the car, but made no move to change gears. There had been an idea bouncing around in my head for the past couple of minutes. _It was now or never, _I thought to myself.

"Hey, um, do you maybe want to go see a movie or something?" The words flew out of my mouth, and I looked at him, anxious.

His eyebrows were raised in surprise, his lips slightly parted. I started to backtrack, stumbling over my words.

"You don't have to if you don't want to. I mean, you probably have better things to do than go hang out with some weird girl you don't know..." I rambled, feeling my face flush. I turned my head back to glance out the windshield.

"That would be nice," he said quietly. My head whipped back to look at him.

"Really?" I asked. He nodded slowly, a small smile lifting his lips. I grinned back at him, and I shifted gears so that we could pull out of the driveway.

* * *

We made our way to the only movie theater in Forks, a small place that was old but sturdy. I pulled into the parking lot and we both stepped inside, getting out of the rare amount of sun that shined today. We picked a comedy, something non-awkward and safe. When I took out my wallet to pay for my ticket, Edward had reached over and pushed my hands away. I looked at him questioningly, but he only kept looking forward as he paid for both of our tickets. I opened my mouth to protest, but then Edward flashed me that small grin again, and I kept silent.

The movie was pretty funny; most of the audience laughed at all the jokes, including Edward. It wasn't a loud laugh, but the corners of his eyes crinkled and the dimples at the edges of his mouth were evidence enough of his enjoyment. I was really glad that I decided to do this. I know that I was doing a favor for Esme, but right now it didn't feel like it.

We walked out of the theater, smiles still on our faces as we headed toward my truck. We kept quoting lines from the movie as we walked, and I pulled out my cell phone to check the time. It was just after seven, but the sun was still up, low over the sky. Edward stopped at the passenger side of my truck, and he turned to face me.

"This was fun, Bella," he said sincerely, and I beamed back at him.

"We should hang out more often," I tried to sound casual, but my heart thudded and I started to mentally beat myself up for how bold I was being. But Edward only nodded, and I moved to slid into my seat, trying to get rid of the burn that was creeping up my neck.

"Let's go for ice cream," he said suddenly, and I found myself agreeing without a second thought. I drove us to a line of shops within town and pulled up to a small ice cream place on the corner. We both ordered small sundaes, and when I reached to pay, Edward once again shoved me out of the way and handed the cashier his money. I protested, insisting that I pay him back, but he simply ignored me as we walked back outside to lean up against my truck.

"It's no problem," he kept saying, popping a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth. I sighed and gave in, looking up at the fading sky. There was a breeze that put the flush in our cheeks, and the street was filled with few people who were still shopping or taking a stroll. Everything was mostly still. This was the way a summer night should be, but they were rare in Forks.

"Sometimes I forget how beautiful everything is here," I murmured.

"Yeah?"

"I remember coming here as a kid and spending time with my dad. On nights like this we'd sit out on the back porch, and he'd tell me stories about when he was still with my mom." I slipped more ice cream past my lips and smiled at the memory.

"I guess I never really thought about Chief Swan as anything other than, well, a chief," Edward remarked. I shrugged.

"To me, he's just my Dad," I walked over to a nearby trash can to throw my cup away. Edward did the same shortly, and after that we were on our way back to his house.

We sat in front of his house for a few minutes after I pulled up. I looked at Edward and he seemed almost hesitant to leave, his hand resting on the handle of the door. I found that I didn't want him to leave either, but it was getting late and we didn't exactly tell his mother where we were going.

"I'll see you later," I finally said, and he nodded back, smiling again.

"Bye, Bella," he pushed the door open and slid out. I watched him walk to the door before driving off, wondering why I couldn't get the image of his smile out of my head.

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**A/N: So, how was it? Too boring? Too weird? I want your opinion, as I'm not feeling too confident about this story. Let me know what you think!**


	2. Opening Up

**Alright everyone, thanks so much for the feedback I've received! It really helped motivate me to find some kind of direction for this story, and now I pretty much have some idea of what I want to accomplish.**

**Sorry for the wait, but I was still figuring things out. Hopefully I can pick up on updates now that I kind of know what I want to do.**

**So here's chapter two. Happy reading!**

**~MissSingItAll**

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**Chapter Two - Opening Up**

I began to see more and more of Edward after that night. In fact, every time that I was over at the Cullen house, Edward was there to talk. Or rather, I did most of the talking while he listened patiently. Eventually, he started joining me on the delivery trips. It was nice to have someone there while I navigated the streets of Forks, even though we didn't say too much. Edward turned out be kind of quiet, despite the way we were at the movie theater. Only occasionally would he tell me things about his life.

"I like to cook, too," he murmured after I had told him about how nice it was to cook with his mother. It was the day before the 4th of July, and we were delivering food to several houses today. People were getting ready for tomorrow, ordering tons of traditional Independence Day fare: cakes and pies, barbeque, potato salad, veggies, and more. The bed of my truck was full of packed boxes. I didn't have to worry about them getting wet from the rain; the forecast for the week was an unheard of steady pattern of dry, slightly warm days.

"Really?" I asked, my eyebrows raising in surprise, and mentally storing this piece of new information. Learning things about Edward was always fascinating; you could never tell what he was really like just by looking at him.

"Yeah. I'd watch my mom sometimes, and then when I was bored I would just kinda mess around in the kitchen," he explained. "But I'm probably not that good at it. Not like her or you."

"Well, there's only one way to find out," I hedged, looking at him out of the corner of my eye. "You could cook for me."

Edward just kept silent, staring out of the passenger side window and locking his fingers together in his lap. I mentally sighed; something that I had come to discover about Edward was that he was very hesitant to initiate any kind of interaction. He never really returned to the laughing, smiling boy that he was at the movie theater, and that made me sad for some reason. I figured that he still wasn't used to being around me, and judging from what Esme had said, his quiet company was probably the norm.

Still, I tried to get him to be a little more social, at least with me, and so far he hadn't accepted any of my other invitations to hang out, aside from coming with me on the delivery trips. I considered giving up, but every time I saw Esme looking at her son with such concern, it made me want to try harder.

We spent the day stopping at many homes, dropping off the food that Esme had prepared almost effortlessly. By the end of the day, we had pocketfuls of checks and cash, and I steered us back to his house in the dim light of the setting sun. Pulling up in front of his house, I shut off the car and turned to him.

"Well, bye, I guess," I said as I handed him the money, feeling awkward. It was always strange to say goodbye to him, almost as if a goodbye wasn't right.

Edward nodded, and turned to leave. He clasped the handle and pushed his door open, but he didn't move to get out. His brow furrowed and his lips pursed, and then he turned to face me.

"Hey, um, do you want to come over tomorrow? My parents are having a barbeque and we can have people over," he asked, his words quick and nervous. "Since it's the 4th of July, you know?"

"Sure," I replied, taken by surprise. A kind of excitement spread through me at the thought of more time to hang out with Edward without the pretense of work. "Yeah, definitely. I'll be there."

"Okay." Edward jumped out of his seat, and with a quick "Bye!" he nearly sprinted up to his door. I sat there for a few moments, baffled, and then finally pulled onto the street. _Finally, we're getting somewhere._

_

* * *

_

It took me ten minutes to find a spot to park my truck the next day. The late holiday afternoon had brought nearly the whole town to the Cullen home. After pulling into a small space yards away from the property, I made my way to the driveway, where balloons and signs directed everyone to go to the backyard.

I should have expected this; the backyard was as every bit extravagant as the interior. There were more fountains and a large garden, and fresh flowers were everywhere, creating a rainbow of color among the solid green of the natural setting of Forks. Everyone was congregating by the main patio, where I saw Dr. Cullen manning a large grill with a few other men. A stereo blasting music was set up against the side of the house, where a long table was covered with food and drinks. The adults were laughing, drinking. A few younger kids ran about across the expanse of green grass, chasing a soccer ball. I recognized a few classmates here and there, some lounging about in lawn chairs grouped together in small clumps. I walked further into the center of it all, looking for Edward.

"Bella!"

I turned to find Esme waving at me, a margarita in one hand. She walked over to me, her eyes warm and welcoming.

"Hi, Esme," I said as she leaned in to hug me.

"Edward told me you'd be coming. I'm glad," she smiled sincerely. I smiled back, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jeans.

"Where is he, by the way?" I asked.

"Oh, he should be over with Alice and her little group. I think they're by the fire pit," Esme replied, pointing over to a spot on the far side of the lawn where a cluster of trees housed a small group of chairs. Among them, I could see a tuft of wild bronze hair.

"Thank you," I nodded at her politely and made my way over to the group. Edward stood by the group of chairs, not really participating, but still somewhat involved. He laughed along with the others whenever they said something funny, but he seemed detached for the most part.

"Hey," I called to him as I got closer. Edward's eyes locked with mine, and a relieved grin spread across his lips.

"Hi," he greeted softly, walking to meet me. His whole body seemed to relax.

"Wow, this is definitely something," I said, gesturing to the whole party.

"Yeah," he shrugged, and his eyes shifted away to look at the ground. "My parents are really...social."

"Edward! You didn't tell me you had a girlfriend!" A chipper voice cut across to us. Both of us looked over to the group that Edward had seemed to have forgotten was there.

Alice Cullen, perched in a lawn chair, was looking at us curiously. She was dressed for the season, wearing dark blue jeans rolled to the knee and a yellow baby-doll top. A tall, skinny blonde, probably Jasper Hale, was sitting in the chair next to her, the fingers of his hand laced with hers.

"She's not-"

"Oh, we're not-"

Edward and I spoke at the same time, and I looked back at him, blushing. He avoided looking at anyone, his lips pressed into a tight line.

"No, um, actually I just work for your mom," I spoke up. "Edward comes with me sometimes."

"Oh that's right, I think Mom said something about that," Alice leaned back into her chair. "I'm Alice, by the way."

"Oh, I know," I said awkwardly. "You were in my English class."

A look of recognition swept across her face. "Right, Bella, silly me! Well, I might as well introduce you to everyone." She sat up again, nodding over to Jasper. "This is my boyfriend, Jasper."

"Hey," he nodded, and I offered a small grin back.

"And that's Emmett McCarty and Rosalie Hale, Jasper's sister," Alice pointed to the two other people sitting across from them. Emmett was a large guy; he was standing, towering over Rosalie, who sat in the lawn chair closest to us. I recognized Emmett as being one of the school's football players. And Rosalie, who I think I may have seen in the halls at some point, was definitely the girl that everyone in our class wanted to be. Her corn silk blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her pale pink sundress revealed long, slender legs. She simply stared at me, but Emmett spoke up.

"You sure you're not Eddie's special lady friend? This is the first time I've seen him actually talk to a girl in a while," he joked. I flashed a glance at Edward, and I could see that the tops of his ears were bright red, a crease pulling at his forehead. His smile was gone.

"We're just friends," I said steadily, feeling oddly protective. Edward was clearly uncomfortable with Emmett's little joke. At the same time, I found it hard to believe that Edward had girl trouble. _I mean, just look at him._

"Emmett, stop," Alice rolled her eyes. She looked, almost sympathetically, at Edward. "Edward, you and Bella could go and see whether the next batch of food is done."

I was confused at Alice's words at first, but then I realized what she was doing: she was giving him an out, a chance to escape. Edward nodded gratefully, and started to lead the way back to the patio. I gave the small group one last glance before following him.

We walked up to the grill, where a few of the adults were hanging around, chatting. Dr. Cullen was filling large trays with more food. He waved at us when he saw us approaching.

"Hello, Edward, Bella," he was already familiar with me, what with all my trips to the emergency room over the past year. Calling me clumsy was an understatement.

"Just checking for food," Edward said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Emmett's hungry again? Not surprised," Dr. Cullen chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, you can tell him that there's plenty here. We'll start the fireworks soon."

Edward and I walked back to the group with a few plates of food, nearly getting ambushed by Emmett as we came up. I sat myself down in a chair with a small plate of fruit, and Edward sat down on the grass next to me, rolling a can of soda in his hands. Alice and Rosalie were deep in conversation as Jasper and Emmett stuffed down more food. As I sat there, I was able to see how Edward fit into this tight-knit group.

The sad thing was, I don't think he really fit in at all. Edward sipped his soda quietly, his legs crossed and his back hunched over. He looked so separate from the group, even though we were all sitting together. It was achingly upsetting to me. I noticed that Alice kept throwing looks over at him, her glance only lasting a second before she looked back at Rosalie. Emmett and Jasper had that chummy relationship that guys often did, but Edward was here all alone, solitary and silent. Esme's words came back to me: _"...__I can tell that he doesn't actually bond with them at all. He's just so lonely, I can see it in his eyes..."_

She wasn't kidding. Edward was clearly lonely, and here I was with the power to change that. I popped a piece of watermelon in my mouth and turned to Edward, determined.

"Do your parents always throw parties like this?" I asked, trying to engage him into conversation. Anything to stop the sadness resting at the edges of his eyes.

"All the time. You should see their Christmas parties," he replied, a hint of a smile on his lips.

"Your mom is really good at this entertaining business. I don't know how she can do it all," I said, my eyes sweeping across the entire backyard. The sun was gone, its last rays blending into the deep blue of the night. The porch lights were on, and Dr. Cullen was done with the grill, bringing out a few boxes of fireworks. I leaned back into my chair, soaking in the sounds of the party.

"Yeah, she's great," Edward murmured. He finished his soda and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Woo! Time for the good stuff!" Emmett's voice bellowed, finally noticing the groups of people headed towards the patio. "Let's go, Rose!" He helped Rosalie up and pulled her like a child pulling their mother along in a toy store.

"Grab some sparklers, too!" Jasper called, still sitting next to Alice. He looked at me. "So, Bella, you were new here, right?"

"Yeah, I moved from Arizona last year," I confirmed, finishing off the rest of my fruit.

"I remember, everyone was talking about it," Alice said, crossing her legs daintily.

"In a town as small as this, I wasn't surprised," I decided to try and have Edward be part of the conversation. "How about you guys? Have you lived here long?" I looked at Edward as I said this.

"Well, my family moved here while we were still in middle school," Alice chirped, not even giving Edward a chance. He sat there on the ground, staring intently at the empty fire pit that was at the center of the group of chairs. I frowned before focusing in on what Alice was saying. "Seventh grade, I think it was? And then, freshman year the Hales moved in." She looked at Jasper, smiling.

"Heads up!" It was Emmett, and he tossed Jasper a couple of boxes as he and Rosalie walked up to us. He passed Edward and I a box each; they were sparklers, and Emmett also gave us a pack of matches.

Emmett and Jasper began setting off the little poppers, small little bundles of flashing, spitting light. They kept everything by the concrete of the fire pit, and Alice and Rosalie lazily lit their sparklers, lounging in their chairs. I turned to Edward, pulling out a sparkler. He pulled out a couple too, and offered me the matches.

"Oh no," I said quickly, shaking my head. "You do it. Fire and I don't mix."

Edward smirked, then. "I guess you're right. I've seen you trip way too many times when you're carrying my mom's stuff." He pulled out a match and struck it against the pack. He brought the flaming end to my sparkler, which exploded into color after a second. He then quickly lit one of his own and tossed the dead match into the fire pit.

We watched our sparklers, smiles across both of our faces. I laughed at Edward as his sparkler died down, one of the sparks jumping up into his wild hair. He shouted a little, running his hand through his hair. The bewildered and panicked look on his face only made me laugh harder.

"Oh, you think that's funny? That I almost could have set my head on fire?" Edward asked, his incredulous eyes wide and joking at the same time. The thought of Edward with a head full of fire made tears come out of my eyes, I was laughing so hard.

"I'll show you," he said, quickly lighting another sparkler and moving it close to my face. I shrieked and jumped up, stumbling away from the chair.

"No, Edward!" I laughed, starting to run away. Edward chased after me, though, his laughter loud behind me. We ran a little bit farther into the edge of the forest that lined the Cullens' backyard. I tripped over a stone, and put my hands out to cushion my fall. I fell onto my stomach and rolled on my side, still giggling. Edward soon joined me on the ground, laying on his back as the remnants of his sparkler went out. We lay there together, our laughter eventually dying down. I took in a deep breath, inhaling the cool night air and the smell of the forest.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked, trying to slow his breathing.

"Yeah, just tripped," I sighed contentedly. "Although, that's really nothing new."

"Of course," Edward teased, and I turned my head to look at him. The smiling boy from the movie theater was back in full force. His smile was dazzling, the whites of his straight teeth almost glowing in the darkness. His eyes were full of happiness, and shadows were thrown across his face as everyone else set off their own fireworks by the house.

I couldn't help myself; my hand reached over and, very lightly, brushed the side of his flushed cheek. His breath hitched, and I don't think he was aware of it, but he leaned into my touch. We stared at each other, breathing deeply, until I was sure that I had memorized the exact pattern of flecks of gold embedded in the green color of his eyes. A loud bang, probably from one of the poppers, exploded near us, causing both of us to jump and me to pull my hand away.

My heart was pounding, and I slowly sat up, dusting myself off. "We should probably get back," I mumbled, not totally sure of what just happened. Edward nodded, and he stood quietly, offering a hand to help me up. I took it gently, and for a fleeting second I contemplated holding it as we walked back. I shook my head at myself. _What was wrong with me?_

"Hey, there you two are," Alice called as we emerged from the trees. The sky was now totally black, and the main source of light came from the patio and the house. People were still hanging around, but I couldn't tell how late it had gotten.

"And what were you two doing? Hmm?" Emmett asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Edward looked down at his feet, and I pulled out my cell phone to check the time, blushing.

"Nothing," I said, shaking my head at Emmett. I turned to Edward. "Hey, so, I gotta go. It's getting late."

"Sure, I'll walk you out," he offered, and we turned to leave.

"Oh, Bella!" Alice exclaimed, and I turned back to look at her. "Since you're Edward's new friend and all, I guess we'll be seeing a lot of you?"

I looked at Edward as I spoke. "Yeah. I guess so." He smiled gently at me.

"Cool! You're always welcome to hang out with us," she said, and I nodded back at her.

"Bye Bella!" Emmett waved, and I giggled at him as Jasper and Rosalie both said goodbye as well. I followed Edward to the side of the house where the gate was still open. We walked down the driveway in silence, until Edward finally stopped at the road and turned to face me.

"Thanks for coming," he said softly.

"It was cool," I shrugged. "Now I know where to go if I want to party."

He smiled at me, and I realized then that the next time that I would see him would be whenever his mother needed me. I didn't like that uncertainty, so I pulled out my cell phone again.

"Um, do you mind giving me your number? Like, just in case I need it, or something," I said awkwardly. Never did I think that I would ever get the courage to ask a guy for his number. Especially a guy like Edward.

"Sure," he said simply, and I handed him my phone. He punched his number in and saved it, giving the phone back to me.

"Well, I'll see you later," I gave him my routine goodbye. He nodded, pursing his lips. I flashed him a quick smile and turned, walking to the general area of where I had parked my truck.

Once inside my truck, I lowered both windows to let the afternoon heat escape. I drove slowly, trying not to hit the many other cars parked along the street. As I looked back at the house, I saw that Edward was still outside on the driveway. He waved at me as I passed, growing smaller in my rear-view mirror.

A feeling of joy spread through me as I thought about how absolutely carefree he had been. It was amazing to see him so open, a direct contrast from the way he acted around his sister and her friends. He was such a great person, but I wasn't sure how many people were aware of it. I could finally see the truth in his mother's words: Edward really didn't connect with them. And it seemed like they didn't care enough to notice it. I was resolved, then. I would be there for Edward, when it looked like no one else would.

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**A/N: Aw, doesn't Edward make you sad? I was definitely not expecting him to be like this when I set out to write this story.**

**Anyway, please review to let me know what you think!**


	3. Revelations

**Sorry for the long wait! Unfortunately, this chapter is short than the others, and for that I apologize. I just didn't want to turn it into this long rambling thing where nothing made sense.**

**I'm slowly finding that this story is a little hard for me to write, because I'm trying to make a believable and original story. So I apologize in advance for long wait time between chapters.**

**Thanks everyone!**

**~MissSingItAll**

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**Chapter Three - Revelations**

_Come on, Bella. Just do it._

I stared at my cell phone, frustrated. It was the day after the Independence Day party at the Cullens' house, and Esme had not contacted me for a delivery trip. This usually meant that I wasn't needed for the day, but now I saw it as a lost opportunity to hang out with Edward. I was torn between texting him and waiting until I had to be at his house again.

I traced my fingers over the keys. I had already opened a blank message addressed to him, I just had to type the words. I finally sucked in a breath and typed a single word.

**Hey.**

_Really? Hey? That's all? _I struggled against the urge to slam my head into the nearest wall. It was a start, right? Sighing, I pressed 'send' before I could change my mind. I fell back onto my bed, my phone landing somewhere at my side. I threw one of my arms over my face.

My phone beeped a couple seconds later, echoing in the silence of my room. I grabbed it and looked at the screen, suddenly anxious.

_**Uh, who is this?**_

I smacked myself. Of course he couldn't tell who it was, I had only gotten his number yesterday and I didn't give him mine.

**It's Bella, sorry.**

I perched myself on the edge of my bed, swinging my legs over the side as I waited until my phone beeped again.

_**Thought so. How are you?**_

**Bored out of my mind.**

_**Me too.**_

I guess he wasn't much of a texter. I sighed. Before I could try to come up with a response, though, my phone beeped once more.

_**Wanna hang out somewhere?**_

My fingers struggled to spell out my reply.

**Sure. Where?**

_**How about the diner?**_

**Okay, when?**

_**I'll pick you up in fifteen.**_

Surprised, I typed my acceptance and then flopped back onto my bed. I had always been the one to drive us places; I had assumed that Edward didn't have a car or something. But the more I thought about it, I realized that he probably had a car stashed in the gigantic garage that his family maintained at the side of the house. He was a Cullen, after all.

I jumped up and tried to make myself look as presentable as possible. I went into the bathroom and ran my brush through my hair a couple of times, and then I walked back to my room to look into my closet.

I bit my lip, staring at my probably poor excuse of a wardrobe. I wasn't sure what to wear on this...whatever this is. I couldn't call it a date, because it really wasn't. It was just two friends hanging out. So why did I suddenly feel so pressured?

I finally decided on layering a few tank tops under a black cardigan with the sleeves rolled up. I quickly slipped into some dark jeans and grabbed my keys and phone. With one last look in the mirror, I sighed and headed downstairs to wait for Edward.

A few seconds after I had sunk down on the couch in the living room, the doorbell rang. I jumped up and stumbled down the hallway, throwing the door open with an unusual amount of force.

Edward stood there, a picture of near perfection against the old, beaten up wood of the front porch. A pair of jeans and a black band t-shirt made him look even more delicious, and I had to force my eyes away from his body as I greeted him.

"Hey," I said, turning to lock the front door behind me.

"Hey. You look nice," he commented, and I felt my face flush.

"Thanks." We walked down to the driveway, where a sleek, expensive-looking Volvo was parked. I walked over the passenger side, Edward following behind me.

"Is this car yours?" I asked, and he opened the door for me, which something I wasn't expecting. I shot him a shy smile as I slid in.

"Yup," he replied, closing the door and then jogging around the front to get in on his side. He started the car and pulled out of the driveway.

"This car is like, super nice," I said, internally kicking myself. Why is it that my mouth spews out the stupidest things whenever I'm around him?

"Yeah, it's kinda my prized possession." He was quiet as I watched him drive. He let one hand rest on the steering wheel, making only slight movements, while the other hand rested in his lap. He was leaned back into his chair, completely at ease.

"So, why'd you pick the diner? Any particular reason?" I questioned. He shrugged.

"Not really. There isn't much to do here, anyway."

"I guess you're right," I said, moving my head to stare out the windshield.

We soon arrived at the diner, which was mostly empty. Edward opened the door for me again, and offered his hand as I stepped out of the car. I wasn't used to this kind of treatment, but Edward seemed like a total gentleman as he opened the diner door for me when we walked in. We picked a booth in the back and sat facing each other.

I crossed my legs under the table, wiggling my foot. "So...Alice and everyone else seem cool."

"Yeah," Edward sighed, his eyes cast down to the table.

"How long have you guys been friends?"

"I don't know if I would call them that," he half-mumbled, a crease forming on his forehead.

"Why not?" I frowned, although yesterday it was clearly obvious that he was not on the same level as everyone else.

"I don't know," he said, his eyes rising to meet mine. "I just don't think I would go as far as calling them _my _friends. Alice's friends, definitely. Maybe they're my acquaintances."

"Well, isn't that how friendship works? You start off as strangers, and then become acquaintances, and then friends?"

"I guess that's the way it should work. But it doesn't. At least, not for me."

A waitress walked up to us then, asking if we wanted anything. Edward quickly ordered a side of fries and a Coke, while I got a small salad and a glass of juice. When she left to place our orders, Edward stared at the table again.

"Well, _I'm _your friend, right?" I hedged, only half-joking. His lips lifted slightly, his expression easing up.

"Yes, you are," he smiled, and I smiled back.

"See? So you must have done it right," I remarked, and he tilted his head to the side, eying me with a look of contemplation.

"Maybe," he nodded, seeming to accept my statement. I placed both of my palms down on the table, straightening my back. I was going to say something else when the waitress returned with our food, setting it on the table quickly. Edward looked at my meal as I sipped at my juice.

"Well, now I feel unhealthy. You're not one of those girls that's always watching what they eat, are you?" he asked, and I shook my head.

"No. I just felt like having a salad. You should see me when I'm in the kitchen with your mother," I said. "I always end up eating while we're cooking."

"Good," he nodded, shoving a few fries into his mouth. "I think you look fine the way you are, anyway."

I blushed, looking down at my food. "Thanks," I said shyly. "I was a bit of a vegetarian, though. A few years ago, back when I was still living with my mother."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it was kind of a phase with her. She loves hopping from one idea to another," I looked out the window as I pictured my crazy, loving, spastic mother. "Usually I was the one to try everything with her. She wanted to be vegetarian for a while, so that's what we were."

"So what made you stop?" Edward asked.

"She did. I came home from school one day and caught her in the kitchen, about to dig into a huge bacon double cheeseburger. It was actually really funny," I chuckled a little bit. I remembered how I walked in to see her, and the almost ashamed look she had on her face coupled with the crazed, hungry look in her eyes had brought me almost to tears with laughter.

"You miss her, don't you?" Edward smiled at me.

"I do," I admitted, dragging my fork through the salad left in my bowl. "But I know that she's happy, and that's what matters."

We ate in silence for a few minutes, letting the lazy atmosphere of the day drift over us. We sat back in our seats when we were done. The waitress came back and asked if we needed anything else, and when we declined she cleared the table and left the check. I snatched the piece of paper away before Edward could grab it so that I could actually pay for us this time. I smirked at him as I reached into my pockets, but my face fell when I realized that they were empty.

"Damn, I forgot to grab my wallet," I sighed, sliding the check over to him. He chuckled.

"That's alright. Maybe I'll let you pay next time," he teased, taking out a couple bills and placing them with the check. The waitress came to grab it, and it only took her a second to come back with the change.

"Next time? Do you plan on paying for my meals forever?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

He only shrugged, this time grinning widely. "Forever would imply that you can actually stand my company."

"And so what if I can?"

"Well then, that sounds good to me," Edward laughed, putting out a couple more bills for a tip. "Come on, let's go."

As Edward drove us down the street, I couldn't help but notice how happy he was. He may have even possibly (although, I seriously doubt it) flirted with me a little. It was great to see him like this.

We drove around aimlessly for a short time, trying to find somewhere to go. Finally, Edward decided on going to the park, a small little area near the edge of my neighborhood. After parking off on one of the side streets, we walked along the edges of the park, tracing the lush green edges of the property. A large pond, almost big enough to be a lake, rested at one end of the park.

Edward walked beside me, his hands shoved into his pockets. We looked out around us as we walked, watching small children run toward the playground structures and other people walking their dogs.

"So what's up Emmett and Rosalie? They're dating, right?" I asked him, keeping my eyes on the path in front of me. I recalled that Emmett seemed particularly close to Rosalie, and by the way that they paired off it seemed like they were a couple.

"Yeah, they are. Perfect fit for each other, too," Edward replied.

"Rosalie seems..." I trailed off, not really sure how to describe her. Edward laughed.

"That's Rosalie for you. You just don't know what to think of her."

"Is she nice? She looks...intimidating."

"I guess that's one word for it." He kicked a pebble in front of him. "Rose is just one of those people that have to grow on you. Once she actually knows you, she's not too bad. If you're ever gonna be in a fight, it's definitely good to have her on your side."

"And Emmett? He looks like a fun guy," I said, turning my head a little to look at him.

"Emmett definitely rivals Alice in the energy department," Edward agreed. "But yeah, he's cool. Sometimes he doesn't think before he acts or speaks, but I'm sure he means well."

I thought about how he had teased Edward at the party. It did sound like Emmett was a bit of a joker, but I wondered if he ever noticed the way Edward's shoulders slumped or how Edward's eyes dimmed when he made fun of him.

"Speak of the devil..." Edward murmured, and I looked up. Sure thing, Emmett was jogging down the path toward us. He was dressed in his gym t-shirt and a pair of shorts, panting as he listened to his iPod. When he saw us, he waved and pulled an earbud out.

"Hey you two," he greeted, coming to a stop in front of us. "What's up?"

"Just hanging out," I said. Edward nodded next to me.

"Cool, cool. Edward treating you right, Bella? Like I said before, his experience with girls definitely hasn't been up to par lately, huh Edward?" Emmett smiled with mischief, the tone of his voice clearly joking. But when I looked at Edward, I saw that he had folded into himself, his gaze trained on the ground.

"Very funny, Emmett," he mumbled, his voice small. I stared at him for a few seconds more, concerned. Then I looked back at Emmett.

"Edward's been a perfect gentleman, actually," I said matter-of-factly, raising my eyebrows. "I'm having a great time."

Edward looked to me and gave me a grateful smile. I grabbed his arm with one hand and started to pull him along with me. "We'll see you around, Emmett."

"Bye!" He wiped the sweat from his brow and put his earbud back in his ear, breaking into a run.

I walked Edward a few more steps along the path before turning to him. "Hey," I said, trying to catch his gaze. "Don't let him put you down like that."

Edward looked at me sadly, shaking his head. "He's not putting me down, he's just joking around."

"Then why do you look so sad?" I asked softly. He sighed, then opened his mouth to say something. After a second, he shut his mouth, and instead moved his arm so that he was now holding my hand. I had nearly forgotten that I was touching him, and now that his long fingers were wrapped around mine it was all I could focus on.

He squeezed my hand once very gently. His emerald eyes were pleading with mine, trying to get me to understand what he couldn't put into words. I wished that I could understand, but I knew that the only way that I would was if he was willing to let me in, to talk to me. I didn't speak. I squeezed his hand back reassuringly, and I started to lead him down the rest of the path. As I looked out of the corner of my eye, I saw that his face fell into a more peaceful, thoughtful expression. We walked silently for the rest of the afternoon, me offering him the comfort of my touch and my companionship.

* * *

"Thanks for driving me everywhere."

"It's cool."

Edward and I sat parked in front of my house. The sun was starting to set, and the shadows of the trees along the street stretched across to rest on the pavement. I needed to get inside soon; Charlie would be home and I needed to start on dinner. But I couldn't bring myself to move.

"So...I guess I'll see you later?" I said, slipping off my seat belt.

"Yup," Edward nodded, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. I sighed quietly, pushing my door open. I stepped out and turned back to look at him one last time. He smiled at me, his face bright in the dim light of the inside of the car. My heartbeat picked up speed, and I waved at him one last time and turned to walk away before I could pass out.

I unlocked the front door and stepped inside, but I didn't shut the door completely until I heard the sound of his Volvo moving down the street. After sliding the locks into place, I walked into the kitchen and plopped down on one of the chairs at the dining table. I looked around at the familiar space, trying to take in the yellow cabinets and fluorescent lighting, but all I could think about was Edward.

I really wanted him to try and stand up for himself; if he didn't feel comfortable with something, he should say so. But then again, _I _was the girl who often suffered in silence, so who was I to expect that of him? Still, it really pained me to see him so sad. And if I really looked at myself and my feelings, I knew that it wasn't just concern that I felt for him.

Every time he looked at me with that gorgeous smile, everything else seemed brighter too. I was giddy at the thought of him holding my hand as we walked through the park today. And, although I had limited experience, we seemed to flirt every now and then. I liked spending time with him, and I certainly hoped that he liked hanging out with me. And I loved the way that he laughed, and the way that he can look so deep in thought, and the way that his lips pouted whenever I disagreed with him on something...

_Oh my God, I like him! _Like _him, like him! _I shook my head at myself. No, no way! I mean, yes, he's a great guy and completely gorgeous, and...I like him?

Of course. Of _course. _Leave it to me, plain, boring Bella, to have a crush on a guy so out of my league. Fantastic.

Edward definitely deserved better than me. I could only be his friend, someone reliable and attentive and just...there. That was what he needed right now. Nothing more.

Now, I just had to convince myself of that.

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**A/N: What did you think? Is the pacing too slow? Reviews would be awesome!**


	4. Enough

**Hey guys! Sorry for the wait, things have been really crazy lately! I'm starting college soon so I'm in the process of getting things organized and packing, because I actually leave in a few weeks. This means that I WILL NOT be abandoning this story, only that updates will be less frequent as I get adjusted to all the changes I'm about to go through.**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

**~MissSingItAll**

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**Chapter Four - Enough**

"Thank you very much, Mrs. Benson. Have a good day."

"You too, sweetheart. Goodbye now."

I turned away from old Mrs. Benson's front door, pocketing the cash she had just given me. I had just delivered a week's worth of food to her home, all by myself. Edward had stayed at his house to help his mother cook the rest of her orders. I slipped into my truck and started on my way back to the Cullen home.

It was a few days after the little outing that Edward and I had. We began texting each other more often after that day. I could always count on waking up to a short, simple text from him, and I'd be smiling for the rest of the morning. It was silly, but I couldn't help but feel better whenever I saw his name flashing on my phone's screen.

I pulled into the Cullen's driveway and jogged up to go through the front door. When I walked into the kitchen, I saw Edward and Esme, both working with large bowls. Esme stopped mixing the food in her bowl and smiled at me.

"Everything go okay?" she asked, reaching as I handed her Mrs. Benson's money.

"Yup," I replied, and I walked over to stand next to Edward. "What are you working on?"

"A cheesecake," he said, running a hand through his hair. He smiled at me, a little wary.

"Mrs. Weber needs quite a few desserts for tomorrow," Esme said, going back to her bowl. "Edward and I are tackling this head on."

"Anything I can do to help?" I asked.

"You can get started on the cherry pie," Esme nodded over to a group of ingredients on the counter, and I immediately began to work. As I chopped and mixed, I watched Edward work. He was very careful and extremely precise. His eyes were locked on the food with absolute concentration. It was almost as if he was doing something as complex as performing brain surgery.

It took us a few hours, but we finally got everything finished. Edward and I were to take everything to Mrs. Weber tomorrow morning. I washed my hands at the sink, and Edward came up to stand next to me while his mother put the food away.

"Hey, so, are you doing anything tonight?" he asked as I dried off my hands.

"Nope," I replied, turning to face him.

"Do you mind if I come over?"

"Uh, that's fine," I said, surprised. He only grinned.

"Cool."

And that was all he said. Really. He didn't tell me what time he was planning on coming, or what we were going to do, or anything like that. I went home utterly confused. I told Charlie that Edward was planning on coming by while we were eating dinner that evening, and he responded with a shrug. "The Cullen kids are pretty good, no troublemakers," he said, and that was the end of that. After dinner I found myself anxiously waiting for any sign of Edward, pacing my bedroom restlessly. The sun had already set on this last sunny day; the forecast predicted a lineup of heavy rain for the next week.

Finally, my phone beeped, and I scrambled to pick it up.

_**I'm here.**_

I quickly texted back my reply and then flew down the stairs, stumbling dangerously across the last few. Charlie looked up at me with surprise as I darted past the living room, where he sat watching a game on tv. I skidded to a stop at the front door, ran my fingers through my hair a couple of times, and pulled the door open.

"Hey," Edward greeted me, holding a plate covered in plastic wrap.

"What's that?" I asked.

"I made something for you," he said, his voice growing quiet. He handed the plate to me, and I noticed that his hands were shaking. I balanced the plate on one hand and peeled back the plastic wrap.

"Oh, Edward!" I smiled as I looked down at the cheesecake on the plate. "That's so sweet, but isn't this for Mrs. Weber?"

"No, I made another one," he replied, the corner of his lips lifting up. "After you left. You've been saying that you wanted me to cook for you, so I did."

I looked up at him, meeting his brilliant green eyes. I gave him the biggest smile I could, thrilled that he would open up to me this way.

"Well, let's have some! Hold on a sec, I have an idea," I told him, and I handed him the plate. I dashed back inside and went into the kitchen to grab plates and forks and a knife. On the way back I stopped at the hallway linen closet and pulled out a couple blankets. When I came back outside, I kept walking past him and stopped at my truck, pulling open the back. I climbed into the bed of the truck and turned back to look at him.

"Come on!" I said, patting the spot next to me. Edward smiled and walked over, handing me the plate and then hopping up to sit in the back with me. I spread the blankets out and wrapped one around my shoulders against the cool air. Edward cut slices of the cheesecake and we each ate, staring out at the quiet street.

Edward was being extremely modest before when he said that he wasn't as good of a cook as his mother. Truthfully, it was the best cheesecake I had ever tasted, and I made sure to let him know as I served myself another slice. He looked so happy and kind of silly at the same time; his eyes were wide and his cheeks were red as he sat hunched over his plate.

After we finished eating, we spent the rest of the evening talking lightly, huddled in the blankets. As the night grew colder I scooted closer to Edward until our sides were touching. We were each wrapped in our own blankets, and I moved to gently lean my head on Edward's shoulder. He tensed at first, surprised, but then gradually relaxed, sighing contentedly. We didn't speak much after that, just reveling in each other's company.

* * *

Rainy day after rainy day passed, and I was able to watch the contents of my bank account slowly grow. Esme paid me well, sometimes too well, and I often wondered whether it was only my driving services that she was paying for, or something else. She welcomed me to her home any time, especially when I wanted to come see Edward.

The more I spent time there, the more I realized that the Cullen home doubled as a hang out spot for Alice and her friends. Whenever she wasn't working, she was at home, Jasper by her side and Emmett and Rosalie somewhere nearby. Edward was usually with them, but, like on the 4th of July, he looked like an outsider. And as I interacted with them more, it seemed like they weren't aware of the invisible line that separated him from the rest of the group. I tried to fix this whenever I could by making Edward feel included, especially now that Alice had started taking a liking to me.

One day I had come over to help Esme cook, but plans changed last minute and she had to leave for her actual job in town. Alice and the rest was over at the house, so I decided to stay too. Everyone was hanging out in the living room, surrounding the large flat screen. Emmett and Rosalie were sitting next to each other on the large sofa, while Alice and Jasper had settled into the loveseat together. Edward was sitting on the floor, level with the coffee table, below the rest of them. It was like some sort of strange symbolism, and I didn't like that.

I walked over to where Edward was sitting and lowered myself to rest next to him. He smiled at me, keeping his mouth closed.

"Oh, Bella! I was just thinking about you," Alice called from the loveseat, cuddled into Jasper's side.

"Hey," I greeted, nodding at her.

"I was thinking that we should all go out somewhere, like up to Port Angeles or something," Alice said. "I'm bored."

"But we already went up there yesterday," Rosalie replied, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Then what else are we gonna do? I have the next couple days off and I wanna spend them doing something fun!" Alice exclaimed.

"We don't have much of a choice, Alice," Emmett said.

"I have an idea!" Jasper quipped. "Let's go to that concert series in Seattle!"

"What concert series?" asked Rosalie.

"It's a week-long event. There's a lot of local bands and restaurants set up booths and give out free food. And there's other booths that just sell stuff," Jasper explained. Emmett shrugged.

"I'm down for the free food," he said, and Rosalie rolled her eyes.

"Good idea, Jazz! When should we go?" Alice said.

"How 'bout tomorrow, since the drive is a little long?" Jasper suggested.

"Okay. I'll drive!" Emmett said. Alice shook her head.

"No, Emmett, we can't all fit comfortably in your Jeep. You forgot that there's other people going with the four of us, right?" She looked at me inquisitively. "You're coming, right Bella?"

I noticed that she had only said "the four of us", completely neglecting Edward. He sat staring at the carpet, his face blank. I found myself getting angry at Alice, at all of them. Why did they keep doing this to him?

"I'll go," I ground out, trying to remind myself that this was probably a habit of theirs and not something that they intentionally did. "And I can drive Edward and myself."

Edward's head turned to me in surprise. I looked at him, a little anxious that I had spoken without asking. "Do you want to go?" I asked him, and he nodded once. I smiled at him reassuringly, straightening my back and then turning back to look Alice in the eyes.

"Oh, of course! You guys will probably be more comfortable in a separate car anyway," Alice said quickly. Emmett and Rosalie were looking at Edward as if they had just noticed that he was there.

"Um, Bella? Maybe I should drive?" Edward spoke up quietly, and I turned my attention back to him. He avoided looking at anyone else. "It's just, well, I'm not sure if your truck will fare well on the trip up and back."

"Oh," I said, now realizing that, as reliable as my truck was around Forks, it probably wouldn't do so well on highways. Plus, the money spent on gas would be ridiculous. "Sure, that's fine."

"Awesome! This will be fun!" Alice cheered, and as I looked back at Edward and his now hopeful expression, I hoped that that would be true.

* * *

The next evening, I sat on the front porch waiting for Edward and his familiar Volvo to pull up. After fussing over making dinner for Charlie and trying to pick an appropriate outfit, I perched myself on the top step and watched the street for any sign of him. I was wearing my favorite pair of jeans and a deep blue blouse, my small purse sitting next to me. I chewed on my lip anxiously, wondering what time it was.

Finally, I saw Edward pull up from around the corner. I skipped down the porch stairs with my purse and reached for the passenger door as I neared the car. When I finally was settled in my seat, I looked over at Edward.

"Hey Bella," he said, a small grin on his face. He was wearing a black button down shirt over a white t-shirt, his bronze hair falling over his eyes. I could see the outline of the muscles of his chest and shoulders, and as I tried to take a breath to clear my head I inhaled the wonderful scent of his cologne.

"Hi," I said breathlessly. He opened his mouth to speak again but was interrupted by the sound of a honking horn. We both turned to see Emmett in a large Jeep, pulling up slowly next to us. All the windows were rolled down, revealing Rosalie in the passenger seat and Alice and Jasper in the back. The Jeep towered over us as Emmett leaned over Rosalie to speak.

"You'll just follow, right?" He asked, and Edward nodded. After confirming a few directions we were off, trailing behind Emmett. After a few minutes it was clear that we would be far behind; Emmett drove like a madman, passing every car that he could in the fastest amount of time. I was glad that I wasn't riding with them.

We settled into a comfortable silence. Edward had a CD playing soothing classical music, and I was surprised to hear some of my favorites. I leaned into my seat, watching the scenery pass out the windows.

"Thanks for volunteering to drive," Edward suddenly said, and I turned my head to look at him.

"But you're the one driving," I said, a little confused.

"Yeah, but that's only because your truck would have issues." He smirked at me, and I rolled my eyes at him. No matter what anyone said, I still loved my rusty beast of a truck.

"But seriously, though. I appreciated your intention," he said quietly, thoughtfully.

"Edward," I sighed, sitting up in my seat. "The others shouldn't treat you the way that they do. That's not fair to you."

"That's just the way they are," he replied, shrugging one shoulder.

This left me frustrated, and I didn't say anything else as we continued on our way. I was gradually getting more and more fed up with the way that the others often neglected Edward, and yet he constantly kept their company in an effort to not be alone. He shouldn't have to endure that at all.

We didn't speak for the rest of the trip, following behind the bright tail lights of Emmett's Jeep. By the time we arrived at the venue, it was mostly dark. The sky was a deep sapphire blue, no stars visible due to the large dark clouds moving across the moon. We pulled into a space a bit further down from Emmett. The parking lot was full of cars, and more and more people were arriving.

Everything was taking place in a large warehouse. There were a few stages set up for the bands, and little tents and booths created a kind of mini city in the center of it all. Vendors were selling shirts and CDs, soda and hot dogs and the occasional beer. There were people everywhere, running from stage to stage and booth to booth, singing along to the music. It was actually a really cool kind of atmosphere, and as I looked at Edward I could tell that he was enjoying himself.

Edward and I followed the others around for a little while. We watched a local band from the Seattle area do a couple songs, a mix of cover songs and original work. Jasper bopped his head to the music while Alice stood next to him, their clasped hands swinging between them. Emmett cheered loudly, causing Rosalie to shake her head as she leaned into him. Edward looked like he really like the music, tapping his hand against the side of his leg. The band was actually pretty good, and after their set, everyone kind of split off from each other in groups.

Of course, I was left with Edward, so we walked around the different booths, grabbed free food samples from the people selling food, and lingered at some of the other stages. We were having a pretty good time, and I discovered that Edward was a real music enthusiast, often taking the time to look at the different CDs offered and listening attentively whenever someone was performing. It was nice to see him so completely interested in something.

After about two hours, though, we started to look for Alice or Jasper or anyone from our group. We walked around the entire complex, and when that did us no good Edward gave me their cell phone numbers and we both started texting them. No one answered, and I started to feel a little lightheaded from the heat of the warehouse. We decided to go outside for a little bit of fresh air. I inhaled deeply, breathing in the chilled air. It was slightly drizzling, the rain making everything in the parking lot shine. Edward was still checking his phone, and I turned to look around us when I finally spotted a familiar, very tiny person about to walk across the parking lot with three others.

"Hey! Alice!" I called out. The whole group turned to me while Edward looked up.

Alice waved at us and skipped over, her tiny feet dancing over the concrete. "Oh, hey guys! Are you taking off too?"

My eyebrows raised in surprise. "Wait, you're leaving?"

"Yeah, we're gonna head home," she replied, the others coming to stand behind her. "Wasn't this so much fun?"

I didn't answer right away. They were just going to leave without telling us? Without telling Edward? I'm sure that he was completely capable of getting home on his own, but they could have at least let him know they were going. Anger rose within me, burning from my feet all the way to my ears. I could feel my face getting red. What if they had all gone without me? Would they just have left Edward totally alone? I'd had it. Enough was enough.

"Fun? It wasn't very much fun watching you guys abandon your brother repeatedly. At least, not for me," I scoffed, shaking my head at her. Everyone's eyes were wide with shock, and Alice's smile quickly fell off of her face.

"Do you guys enjoy doing that? Do you actually _enjoy _putting him down, making him feel completely alone? What kind of friends are you?" I hissed viciously. "I mean, come on, Alice! He's your brother!"

"Bella," Edward mumbled beside me, but his voice sounded far away in my fury.

"Bella, I..." Alice trailed off dejectedly. She looked incredibly sad. Jasper moved to grab her hand, staring frustratedly at me.

"There's no excuse for you the way you treat him. All of you," I looked at each person, only faltering when I met Rosalie's icy cold glare. Her beautiful face was frightening in the dim rain.

"So what? No one's making him hang out with us. He's the one that comes along. It's not our fault that he has no other friends!" she growled. Both Edward and I flinched back at her harsh words.

"You could at least try to treat him like a person instead of an obligation!" I shouted, and I turned to Edward. "Let's go," I said, and I grasped his hand tightly and pulled him along, not meeting the eyes of anyone else.

Edward followed me silently, and when I looked into his eyes I saw that he seemed conflicted, though the rest of his face was blank. He unlocked his car and we slid into our seats. He started the car, but he didn't pull out of the parking space, instead staring at his hands on the steering wheel. I blew out a breath, trying to calm down.

"I'm sorry," I sighed, slumping in my seat. He only looked at me once, and then shifted gears. We pulled out of the parking lot in silence.

* * *

Just like on the way to Seattle, we didn't speak on the way home. But instead of being enclosed in a comfortable silence, we were both tense, and I was anxiously counting down the minutes until we had finally pulled in front of my house. Edward walked me up to the door, and I rested my hand on the handle, the smooth metal cold to my fingertips. I turned to face Edward.

I still couldn't place the look in his eyes. Was he upset with me? I did kind of freak out back there, and maybe I shouldn't have spoken for him. They just made me so mad, I couldn't help myself. Still, looking back on it now, I realized that I might have acted they same way they did. I made assumptions for Edward, and spoke on his behalf without even asking him first. What if he was mad at me? I started panicking a little, and opened my mouth to apologize.

"Edward, look, I -" and that was all I got out before he suddenly stepped forward and brought his face to mine, crushing our lips together.

My words died in the back of my throat. I gasped at the sensation of the softness of his lips tugging at mine. I found myself kissing him back, my hands reaching to tangle themselves in his messy hair. One of his hands came up to cradle my head, and the other wrapped tightly around my waist. I couldn't get enough; it felt like I was burning in his arms. I also couldn't believe it. We were kissing! _He _was kissing _me_! And, from the little sighs and sounds coming from his throat, I'm pretty sure he was enjoying it. Of course, he wasn't the only one. I was reveling in the feel of his hair in my fingers, the way he'd gently suck on my bottom lip, the warmth surrounding my waist as he gripped me closer. It was utterly addicting.

Eventually, though, we had to breathe, and we pulled apart after what felt like hours. Edward stayed close, his shoulders rising and falling with his ragged breathing. I was dizzy, my eyes struggling to meet his.

"Thank you," he whispered, almost inaudibly. His eyes were shining with emotion, happiness and sadness and confusion there.

I was stuck to the spot, only able to stare back at him. He started to back away, still looking at me intensely. He ducked back into the rain slowly, descending the porch steps and then finally turning to get back into his car. He drove off, turning down the street, and suddenly I could move again, as if his leaving broke me free from some kind of spell.

My hand moved to my chest, where I was sure I could feel my heart pounding furiously. My face was warm, and when I turned to unlock the door my legs were trembling. I took a shaky step inside the house, and then another so I could close the door and lock it. I'm not even sure how I made it to my room without falling, but I did. When I got to my bed I collapsed, burying my face into the pillows. My brain was going into overdrive, trying to process everything that just happened, but my body was exhausted. I could feel myself start to shut down, my eyelids heavy. I kicked my shoes off of my feet and scooted weakly up the bed.

As I felt sleep draw nearer, one thought repeated itself in my mind: _What happens now?_

_

* * *

_**A/N: How was that for a chapter? Please review, I love hearing from you guys!**


	5. Turnabout

**Wow, guys. I am so sorry for the long wait! I've finally settled into college and things have gone really great so far. I promise, I haven't given up on this story! Updates will be sporadic for now, especially since I am now stage manager of a play that is opening in three weeks!**

**Enjoy the chapter, and Happy Halloween!**

**~MissSingItAll**

* * *

**Chapter Five - Turnabout**

The rain outside my bedroom window poured mercilessly. The sky looked downtrodden, cold, and unbearably sad, seeming to match my current mood. I was sitting in the middle of my bed, my legs crossed under me. My elbows were resting on my thighs and my hands were cradling my face as I stared at my cell phone sitting in front of me. I sighed as it continued to lay dormant, no texts lighting up the screen.

It was two days after "The Kiss," as I had come to name it in my mind, and Edward hadn't spoken to me since. Esme had called earlier to tell me not to bother coming over; the rain had become something of a driving hazard, and she didn't want me to get into an accident or anything. I sent Edward a few texts asking how he was and if he was okay. I even sent him a lame joke in an effort to get some kind of response. But so far, there was nothing.

Was he upset with me? With himself? I am really that bad of a kisser? I didn't want to push him, but I felt like I was grasping at straws trying to figure out the reason behind his silence. I forced myself to wait for him to make the next move, even if it meant that I would drive myself crazy with speculation in the process.

Sighing to myself, I hopped off of my bed and slipped my phone into the pocket of my sweats. I decided to get some chores done while I was stuck here. I made my way downstairs and into the kitchen, where I put away dishes and disinfected the counters and scrubbed the floor. I organized the mess of papers and magazines and stray mail that was piled on the dining table, and then I moved out into the hallway. I grabbed the vacuum out of the hallway closet and moved through the living room, vacuuming up the carpets as best I could. After that, I stopped and looked around me, my eyes roaming over the familiar pictures and pieces of furniture that my father had collected over the years. I started to go towards the couch, only to accidentally run into the small coffee table, stubbing my toe.

My toe throbbed with sharp pain as I landed on the couch, and I quickly brought up my foot to rest in my lap. The skin was a bright red, and I knew there would be a bruise soon enough. I leaned back into the couch, rubbing the area around the source of pain. I closed my eyes, feeling as if everything was against me today.

The sound of the doorbell ringing cut through the silence of the house. My eyes flew open and I stood slowly. I walked over to the front door with a bit of a limp, and when I opened the door I nearly fell over in surprise.

"Edward?" I gasped, staring at the figure on the front porch. Edward had his hands shoved into his jean pockets, his mess of hair hidden under the hood of his grey jacket. The rain had not neglected him; there was water dripping off his arms onto the ground, and his perfect face was slick with moisture. He offered me a small nod.

"Hi," he said quietly, his voice almost drowned out by the sound of the rain. "Is it okay if I come in?"

I simply nodded, stepping aside so he could walk into the warmth of the house. I shut the door behind him as he slipped off his jacket and shoes, and I reached for his jacket so I could hang it on the coat rack by the door. I then turned to face him and saw that he was staring back at me, fidgety and nervous.

"Um...do you wanna sit down?" I offered, and he nodded, gesturing for me to lead. He followed me to the living room, and I noticed that he was frowning at me as I eased myself down onto the couch. He sat at the far end.

"Why were you limping?" he asked, and I rolled my eyes at myself, blushing.

"Stubbed my toe."

"Oh." A ghost of a smile crossed his lips, and then his gaze was serious. He took a deep breath, looking down at his lap as he blew out the air. "Um, Bella? I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For basically attacking you the other day," he said quietly, not looking up. "That was rude of me."

"Edward..." I stopped, not sure what to say. I definitely enjoyed the kiss, no doubt about it. But if he was regretting it, then I didn't want him to feel bad about himself. Especially if he didn't feel that way about me at all. A pang of hurt hit my chest as the thought ran through my mind.

"Don't be sorry. It's fine," I said reassuringly, trying to keep the resigned sadness out of my voice. "I know kissing me probably wasn't anything special, don't worry about it."

"What?" he said, his voice almost a whisper. I shrugged back at him, playing with my hands in my lap. He sighed, clearing his throat before speaking again. "Bella, I...liked kissing you."

"What?" I echoed him, my jaw dropping in shock. Our eyes met and his gaze was intense, the pools of green lit with sparks. A silence slowly grew as words refused to fall from our lips. We simply stared at each other, unmoving.

"I..." Edward breathed, then stopped himself. His eyes dropped to my lips, then back to my eyes again. "I liked kissing you."

My heartbeat was picking up speed so loudly I was sure he could hear it. I clenched my hands together in my lap, trying to keep them from shaking. He scooted closer to me and timidly reached out to grab one of my hands and hold it between his. His gaze was intense, pleading.

"Edward," I began, but I was interrupted by the shrill sound of the phone ringing in my pocket. We both broke out of the mood we were in, jumping as the ringing continued. I gave him an apologetic look and, using my free hand, I pulled my phone from my pocket. Across the screen flashed the name 'Alice.'

"Hello?" I answered.

"Bella?" Alice's voice was small and subdued, not at all what I'm used to from her.

"Yes," I said, keeping my voice even. Edward kept his hold on my hand, looking at me curiously.

"Is Edward there?"

"Yes," I replied curtly.

"Well, can you tell him that we're all sorry for the other night? That _I'm _sorry?" she pleaded, almost desperately. "I haven't seen Edward at all for the past two days, he's been avoiding me!"

"I can't blame him," I said coolly, and Alice sighed heavily.

"But, Bella -"

"Look, Alice," I interrupted, and Edward's eyebrows rose in surprise. "If you want to talk to him, then _talk _to him. Don't use me as your messenger. I'm sorry, but you need to actually make an effort if you want to fix things." I hung up, setting my phone on silent and placing it on the coffee table. Edward sighed next to me.

"Alice, huh? I should have known she'd eventually call you about me," he said. He patted my hand a few times, and then grasped it more firmly.

"You've been avoiding her," I said, more of a statement than a question. He looked down at our hands, nodding.

"I don't know what to say to her, or any of them, really," he said quietly. "I think you opened their eyes a bit."

"How long have they been treating you like this?"

"A while," he sighed again, leaning back into the couch. "Alice and I are twins, but we couldn't be more different. I just chose to hang out with her friends because they were there, and it's easier to just tag along with them instead of going places on my own."

"But you shouldn't just be left out like that! They practically forget you exist!" I exclaimed, frustrated. Edward winced. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay. I think that Rosalie is right anyway. It's my fault that I don't have my own friends to hang out with," he said. I shook my head, about to protest, but he kept talking. "Something's wrong with me. I just can't connect with people. I have no idea why."

I took a long glance at Edward, and he seemed resigned to his statement. He looked like he had accepted this, which was unacceptable to me.

"Edward, it's not your fault. Nothing's wrong with you," I replied, my heart hurting as I watched him fold into himself.

"It's always been this way, Bella. I just don't fit in with anyone. I know that I'm quiet and shy," he explained, "but that's just the way that I am. People don't seem to like that, so they ignore me."

"That's so..." I trailed off, trying to understand everything. "You shouldn't have to feel like this. Everyone deserves to have friends. And so what if you're shy?" I stood, his hands still clasping mine. "I'm not exactly a social butterfly myself, am I?"

Edward looked up at me, his eyes sad and defeated. "No," he said softly, "but people can talk to you without feeling like they are doing you a favor."

"Edward, please," I sighed, tired of hearing him talk about himself like this. I stood staring at him, at a loss of what to do. He remained silent, his hands warm and firm around mine. We just looked at each other for a long moment, surrounded by the silence and pressed by the weight of Edward's words about himself. I took a deep breath trying to ease the ache in my chest, the ache I felt for this gorgeous, lonely boy.

The doorbell rang just then, and we both moved our heads in the direction of the front door. I gently pulled my hand from his and moved to the door, opening it slowly.

"Hi Bella," Alice said sadly. She had just folded up her rain-soaked umbrella. She was wearing a deep purple dress under a black short-cut trench coat, and her short black hair was pinned back by bobby pins. Her face held a look of remorse, a very strange thing considering her normal bubbly personality.

"Hi," I replied, crossing my arms over my chest. She looked down at her feet, pressing her black leather flats together.

"Can I come in and talk to Edward?"

I looked out past her, watching the little rivers of water on the street pass around the tires of Edward's Volvo and Alice's canary-yellow Porsche parked behind it. I actually debated not letting her in, but she looked so upset and utterly devastated. I moved to the side, gesturing for her to come in. "Thank you," she almost whispered, making her way in. She placed her umbrella against the wall and then followed me down the hall to living room.

Edward's face changed to one of surprise when I brought Alice in with me. She moved meekly, coming to a stop in front of him across the coffee table. He looked up at her, his expression now unreadable.

"Edward," Alice sighed, her whole stance drooping as his name left her lips.

"What is it, Alice?" he asked, his voice even. I quietly left the room, going into the kitchen to fix something to eat but really giving them a chance to talk in private. All I could hear as I put together ingredients was a slight muffled sound. It was mostly Alice's solemn soprano, but occasionally Edward's low, velvety voice would sound in. I decided to make some hot chocolate along with the lunch I was preparing, and chose this moment to peek my head in the living room.

Alice was now seated next to Edward, her delicate arms wrapped around his frame. Her wide eyes glistened with tears, and Edward slowly reached up to hug her back.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, and Edward's hand soothingly patted her back. He didn't say anything back, but he didn't look angry or anything like that. He just held his sister, silently letting her know that he accepted her apology.

I felt like I was intruding then, and just as I was about to move back into the kitchen, Edward looked up, locking eyes with me. I could see that the little green pools were watery as well, and the ache in my chest surged so much that I had to look away. I cleared my throat as Alice looked up at me at well.

"You guys staying for lunch? I'm making hot chocolate," I said quietly, feeling utterly out of place witnessing this moment between them. Edward looked at Alice, and then back at me as he sniffed once.

"Sure, that sounds really good right now," he replied, and Alice nodded too. I smiled at them and went back into the kitchen to get everything ready.

We had lunch in the kitchen, and afterwards we moved with steaming mugs of hot chocolate back into the living room. I sat across from Alice and Edward, who sat next to each other on the couch. I didn't really talk much, but it was alright because Edward and Alice were actually speaking to each other face to face, something that I had never really seen before. Alice was alert and interested in what he was saying, and she never cut him off or put him down unintentionally. Edward actually looked happy, and they even managed to share a few laughs. I could tell that this was a huge change for the both of them. It seemed like Alice was truly seeing her twin brother.

By the time it was late afternoon, the rain had slowed, but didn't stop completely. We were all laughing over a funny story Alice had told about Jasper and his attempts to impress her. It felt so good just to all be on the same level with one another, and I hoped that this kind of behavior would continue.

"Well, I should probably get going," Alice announced, standing up. She looked at Edward. "Are you coming too?"

Edward gazed at me, something shifting in his eyes. "I'll see you at home," he said, but then quickly backtracked. "Unless you want me to go, Bella?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "You can stay if you want to, that's fine."

Alice looked at the two of us, a little confused. Then she grinned, pulling her previously discarded coat over her shoulders. "I see. I guess I'll go then." She started off down the hall, followed by Edward and me. She grabbed her umbrella as I opened the door and she stepped out onto the front porch.

"Thank you, Bella," she said sincerely, giving me a grateful smile. I smiled back and waved. She gave us a little nod and skipped down the stairs, jogging a little to her car. I shut the door and walked with Edward back into the living room.

"So things are alright with you and Alice now?" I asked, facing him. He shrugged.

"Not completely. But she's trying, and that's what counts, right?"

"Yes," I said, and I was suddenly aware of how close we were standing. He was a head taller than me, and I knew that if I leaned forward a couple of inches I could rest my head on his broad chest. Edward looked down at me thoughtfully.

"Bella?" he almost whispered. Everything suddenly felt heavy and slow.

"Hmm?"

"Can I kiss you?" he asked softly. My breath caught in my throat, and I found myself nodding before I even realized what was happening.

His head dipped down slowly, and I lifted my chin to meet him. Our lips met with the gentlest pressure, sweet and soft and perfectly pure. I sighed, and our lips moved a bit more firmly. Edward's hands moved to wrap around me, and I leaned against him, my hands pressed into his chest. He tugged at my top lip, running his tongue along it smoothly. I shuddered, sucking his bottom lip between mine. Our breathing had picked up and my fingers started to grab at the fabric of his shirt. Edward held me tighter, his tongue now tracing the line of my lips. I parted my mouth open as I whimpered, feeling his tongue stroke mine languidly. A low moan left his chest, making me clutch him even tighter. The need for oxygen pushed at my lungs, but I couldn't find it in me to care. We kissed like this for as long as we could, tasting each other until I finally started to feel a little lightheaded. We pulled back a little, trying to catch our breath as Edward rested his forehead against mine.

I couldn't think straight being this close to him. His hands smoothed over my back, moving in gentle circles. I didn't realize that I wasn't even supporting my own weight until Edward moved, taking us over to the couch. We sat down, still wrapped up in each other. I looked up at him and his eyes were crystal clear and magnificent, shining happily at me. I smiled at him, slightly unsure of what to do next.

"Um," I said, rather dumbly, wanting to hit myself for sounding so stupid.

"Do you believe me now? That I like kissing you?" Edward asked, reaching a hand up to tuck some hair behind my ear. I slowly nodded, and he beamed at me, almost a little bit smug.

"Well, don't get used to it," I said, trying to sound serious.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I don't give my kisses out to just anyone," I shrugged in his arms, keeping my tone nonchalant.

Edward raised an eyebrow. "That what am I to you?" He was joking along, but there was an undertone of hope and anxiety in his voice.

"What do you want to be?" I asked him, completely serious now.

"Your boyfriend," he said softly, and then smiled. "Or the exclusive recipient of all your kisses."

"How about both?" I offered, placing both of my arms around his neck. I stretched up and placed a kiss at the edge of his jaw.

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

**A/N: Reviews would be nice, thanks so much!**


	6. Unraveling

**Wow, it's definitely been a while! Sorry guys, I've just been so busy! My first semester of college is complete, so hopefully now that I understand how busy I can get I can try to schedule my time better. Don't worry, I'm still planning to keep this story up!**

**Thanks again for your patience!**

**~MissSingItAll**

* * *

**Chapter Six - Unraveling**

I watched Edward's Volvo glide down the street in the pouring rain until it disappeared around the corner. After locking the front door and turning on the lights, I made my way upstairs.

I threw myself onto my bed in my room, ecstatic. I felt so happy that I wanted to run around my room screaming my head off, or maybe run back outside into the rain. It was silly, but I couldn't help it. I actually let out a little squeal.

Never did I even dream of calling Edward Cullen my boyfriend. But here I was, his scent filling my head and the feel of his lips still tingling on mine.

Edward texted me for the rest of night, and I fell asleep with my phone next to my head, his words still on the screen.

Another rainy day greeted me as I rose from bed, wiping the remnants of a _very _good night's sleep from my eyes. I hurriedly went through my morning routine, got dressed, and skipped downstairs to have a quick breakfast.

Edward was coming over to pick me up today so I didn't have to drive. Esme still didn't want me out in the rain, but she continued to pay me, so I felt like I should do some kind of work to help her out. Edward and I decided to help clean up the kitchen and prepare a few things ahead of time.

I was washing my cereal bowl and putting it away when the doorbell rang. I grabbed my coat and slung it around my body as I made my way to the front door.

Edward stood on the porch looking just as gorgeous as ever, smiling gently at me. He was bundled up too, and he offered me his arm as we walked down the stairs. He opened the passenger door of his Volvo for me and helped me inside, then jogged around to the driver side.

"Someone's quite the gentleman," I teased as he buckled his seatbelt and pulled the car out into the street. He smiled and shrugged, reaching to turn up the heat on the console.

It was quiet for a little bit as the rain poured incessantly against the vehicle. Soft classical music played from the radio, and I found myself closing my eyes. I probably would have fallen asleep if Edward hadn't spoken up.

"Everyone's at the house today," he said quietly. My eyes shot open. I peered at him sideways, trying to judge his face.

"Have you talked with them yet?" I asked.

"Not really. They've just said 'hi.' I think they don't know how to act around me anymore," he replied, his voice even and subdued. I frowned.

"They shouldn't be this way to begin with," I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest. Edward reached a hand out and rested it on my thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze. Now that we had started dating - if you could call it that, it's not like we've been anywhere since yesterday - Edward seemed to be more comfortable with showing affection. It was different, but not unwelcome.

I sighed, placing one of my hands over his. "I'm sorry, but it's going to be hard for me to just treat them like nothing happened."

"I don't think they're expecting you to," he said reassuringly. "At least, most of them won't. You know Rosalie."

I shook my head, leaning back in the seat as he stopped talking and drove on, silent.

* * *

Edward held my hand as we walked up the stairs and into the large mansion. The sounds of laughter and the TV drifted over us as we removed our coats. Edward put them up in the coat closet and grasped my hand once more.

We walked down the hall to the living room, where everyone was gathered watching a movie. Rosalie was stretched out on one sofa, her feet resting in Emmett's lap. Alice and Jasper were cuddled up on another sofa. Everyone's head turned to look at us.

"Hey you two," Alice said softly, a small smile on her face. I could tell that she was still feeling bad about everything, and that satisfied me. She had enough sense to remember that I hadn't exactly forgiven any of them yet. I gave her a small grin back.

Everyone else gave us a strange look as they took in how close we were standing. Emmett's eyes were glued to our linked hands. Edward gripped my hand a little bit tighter under his gaze.

"Well, look at that! Eddie's got himself - " Emmett stopped his words as I turned to look at him stonily. He shut his mouth and looked away sheepishly. Rosalie rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the movie.

"We'll be in the kitchen," I said curtly, and started to pull Edward away. He followed me silently, waiting until we were in the company of shiny chrome appliances to speak.

"I forgot to warn you, Emmett probably going to be on our backs with this," he said, lifting our joined hands. I shrugged.

"Who cares what he thinks, what any of them think," I replied, pulling him further into the kitchen. We stopped in front of the island counter.

"We should probably start cleaning up. I'll take the ovens, and maybe you can do the counters?" I asked him. His face still held a slight tension, his eyes a little sad as he nodded back at me.

"Hey, don't worry about it," I said gently, reaching up to cradle his face in my hands. It felt so natural to touch him this way, soothing him when he was in doubt. "Really, it doesn't matter what they say or do. I certainly don't listen to them."

He sighed, reaching his hands up to cover mine. He smiled, almost shyly at me, his face finally relaxing. "There's some cleaning stuff in the cupboard," he said, and we turned to get to work.

* * *

I leaned back against a counter, wiping sweat off my brow. The kitchen now sparkled and my head was dizzy with the scent of lemon. Edward put all the cleaning supplies back in place, and then came to lean next to me.

"Remind me to never get this place super dirty ever again," I said, and Edward chuckled.

"I don't know how my mother keeps this place up," he sighed, looking around the fresh, clean space. We were silent for a few more moments, and then I spoke.

"Want to go watch TV with everyone?" I said quietly. Edward nodded, his eyes holding a little reluctance. I took his hand in mine and we went back out into the living room.

No one had really moved while we had cleaned the kitchen. Some random reality TV show was on, and Alice was criticizing one of the people on the screen.

"Ew. I don't understand why she's even famous," Alice spat out. She turned her attention to us when we walked in. "Oh, hey guys!"

"Hi Alice," I said, bringing Edward over to a large armchair. It was big enough that we could both fit comfortably on the large cushion.

Those were the only words said for a while. Mostly, we all just watched TV, but you could tell it felt a little off. There was a kind of awkward tension that settled over us. Edward was right; no one knew how to act with him in the room. Clasping Edward's hand tightly in mine, I cleared my throat.

"I think we all need to talk," I announced, slightly nervous. Alice gave us a look of understanding and reached for the remote to turn down the volume on the TV. Rosalie scoffed.

"About what?" she asked, sitting up. I sighed, trying to keep myself calm.

"Edward. You guys need to treat him better," I started. Everyone's eyes darted to Edward, who sat staring at his lap.

"We realize that, and we really are sorry," Alice said, leaning forward. Jasper nodded to her.

"Yeah man, that wasn't cool of us," he said to Edward. "We should have told you we were leaving."

"Sorry dude," Emmett offered simply. His face was apologetic.

Everyone kept looking at Edward, waiting for his reaction. Edward slowly raised his head, shrinking under their stares.

"Thank you," he said quietly. Alice smiled at him, her bright eyes crinkling. The mood in the room started to lighten, but was shot down when Rosalie opened her mouth.

"Ugh, really?" Rosalie complained. "I thought I told you, it's not our fault he's as meek as a mouse."

"Rose," Alice warned, looking worried. Anger rose in me, causing my neck and cheeks to grow hot. I tried to breathe deeply and stay calm, but Rosalie's attitude was really getting to me.

Rosalie rolled her eyes and turned to look at Edward. "Look, stop being a baby and man up! That'll solve all your problems." He flinched at her words.

"Well it's no wonder he doesn't assert himself, not with people like you around!" I shot at Rosalie, and then quickly shut my mouth. Oops. That particular thought wasn't supposed to slip out.

"Excuse me?" Rosalie's delicate face was alight with disbelief. She started to move towards me, but Emmett's meaty hand grabbed her shoulder and stopped her from going any further. "People like me?"

I remained silent, suddenly a little afraid of her. She crossed her arms and glared at me.

"People like me, like the rest of us, are able to act normal. It's not our fault that he can't," she spat out, her tone icy.

"Baby," Emmett pulled on her shoulder, but she stayed in place.

"And who are you to speak for him, huh? You think being his mouthpiece is helping at all?" she fumed.

My shoulders sagged as my mind processed her words. Edward shook his head beside me.

"Come on, let's just go," he murmured, and started to stand, pulling on my hand. We stood together and turned to leave, avoiding looking at anyone.

I could hear Alice berating Rosalie as we walked down the hall, stopping at the huge staircase at the front of the house.

"Let's go upstairs," he suggested, his face tired and solemn. I nodded and we wordlessly climbed the stairs all the way to the third floor of the house. There were only a few rooms up here, and Edward led me to a door at the end of the hall and into what I assumed was his room.

The entire space was large, but kind of cozy. The gold carpet was plush and soft under my feet, and the natural light coming from the windows was subdued by the heavy curtains. There was a large bed at the far end and a black leather couch close to us. A large shelving unit held many CDs, books, and various papers. Edward pulled me over to the couch, where we both dropped warily. We didn't speak, and I mulled over Rosalie's words in my head. She was being a total bitch, but at the same time I couldn't help but see her point.

"I'm sorry, Edward," I said after a moment, cuddling up to him.

"What for?"

"Rosalie is partially right, about me," I sighed. "I shouldn't be speaking for you. It's inconsiderate of me."

"No, Bella," he said, linking our fingers together. "Without you, they probably would still be treating me like I'm part of the background. I'm glad that you spoke up, because I can't."

"That's not true, and you know it," I said firmly. "You just have to work on it, that's all."

Edward sighed, staring down at our hands. I reached my free hand up to brush across his jaw.

"I'll help you," I promised. He gave me a sad smile, and I moved my hand to tangle in his hair. I gently coaxed his head down until our lips met, softly and sweetly.

* * *

"I should probably get back," I half-whispered, not wanting to disturb the peaceful atmosphere that had settled over us. We had stayed on Edward's couch for most of the afternoon, and now the room was beginning to darken as evening came. It has stopped raining, but it was still very cloudy and gloomy outside.

"I don't want you to leave," Edward murmured. He tightened his arms around me. "You could stay for dinner. My mother wouldn't mind."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's totally fine," he replied. It only took me a few seconds to debate and decide.

"Just let me call my dad," I said, and he smiled at I made myself sit up. I fished my cell phone out of my pocket and called Charlie, letting him know that he'd be on his own for dinner. I hoped that I wouldn't come home to a burning pile of ash instead of a house later.

Edward and I stood and stretched our limbs. We then headed back downstairs, finding that the living room was empty. We walked into the kitchen and were hit by delicious smells coming from several pots on the stove. Esme was there, stirring and salting and working her cooking magic.

"There you are! Thank you so much for coming over to clean, Bella!" she exclaimed, hurrying over to give me a hug. "The kitchen looks great! Are you staying for dinner?"

"Is that alright?"

"Of course, don't be silly," she tsked. She looked between the two of us. "Why don't you two set the table?"

"Sure, Mom," Edward said, and together we grabbed silverware and glasses. We set the table quickly, and I noticed that Edward was setting extra places. I guess I wasn't the only company over tonight.

Edward and I helped Esme bring in the food as Dr. Cullen swooped in just in time for dinner. He smiled at me in greeting just as Alice bounded into the dining room, Jasper in tow. We all took our places at the table and served ourselves, casually chatting. It felt like a nice, large family gathering; something I wasn't used to, but enjoyed. It was nice to feel like I belonged.

Jasper and Alice definitely made more of an effort to include Edward in the conversation. He actually laughed with them a few times, and the sound warmed my heart. I sneaked a few peeks at Esme throughout the meal. She was smiling so big that I was afraid her face was going to stick that way. Her eyes met mine and they glistened with emotion.

After dinner, Esme and I cleared the table. Alice and Jasper asked Edward to go to the living room with them, and Dr. Cullen retired to his office to do some work. I helped Esme as we washed and put away the dishes and put the kitchen back in order.

"It's been a while since I gotten the chance to talk to you, Bella. I've been so busy," Esme said, rinsing a plate in hot water.

"Oh, I totally understand," I assured her, putting the leftover food into tupperware containers.

"I'm sure you don't mind not having to work as much with all this rain," she smiled, "and I can see that you're enjoying spending time with Edward."

I blushed, looking down at my task. "Yes, I am."

"He looks happier," she sighed. "So much happier. Especially when he's next to you. I could see it tonight." Esme turned to look at me, a grateful look on her face.

"He's a good person," I said, feeling a little embarrassed as Esme continued to stare at me. I wasn't sure whether to let her know about Edward and I dating, but I had a feeling that she probably already had a clue.

"Of course. Bella, I just want you to know that I really appreciate you doing this for me and for him. He needs this," she said, her voice aching a little.

"I just hope I'm not driving everyone else away. Alice and the others," I replied, sighing.

"Alice is a smart girl. She and her friends will be fine. I have noticed that something is different between everyone, though," she mused, going back to her dish washing.

"That's most likely my fault," I said quietly, walking over to the fridge and putting the food away.

"It's not bad, just...different," she clarified. "Especially between Alice and Edward. They seem closer."

"Oh," I said simply. I didn't think that explaining that I had chewed everyone out would fly with Esme, so I just kept my mouth shut. Before Esme could say any more, Edward walked in, calling for me.

"Did you need to get home? It's getting kinda late," he said, and I nodded.

"Thanks again for all your help, Bella!" Esme came over to give me a hug. I was pretty sure she was thanking me for more than just cleaning the kitchen today.

* * *

Edward stood in front of me on Charlie's front porch, breathing in the damp air. I was hesitant to say goodbye to him, even though there was no doubt that he would text me tonight and see me tomorrow.

"I wish I didn't have to go home," Edward said quietly, reaching up to brush a lock of hair out of my face.

"I know," I murmured, leaning into him. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. I rested my cheek against his broad chest. "But I should get inside. I'm sure Charlie heard us pull up and he's probably wondering what's taking me so long."

I tilted my head up to look at him. He smiled, and as his lips met mine I flirted with the idea of just staying out here, tucked into Edward's warmth while he kissed me senseless. But, with a final tug and a nip at the corner of my mouth, Edward pulled away.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said, squeezing me once more before stepping away.

"Goodnight," I replied, and turned to let myself into the house after waving Edward off the porch. I watched him drive away from the window, sighing to myself.

"Edward Cullen, huh?"

I jumped and whirled around. Charlie was standing in the hall, watching me with a knowing expression.

"Yeah, um, he works with me sometimes," I said, feeling a little nervous. Charlie and I were not very expressive people, and he had never brought up the subject of me dating or anything like that since I came to live with him.

"Right, work," he grumbled.

"Okay, and we might be dating, too," I hastily admitted.

"I figured," he said. "Just make sure you guys are being...uh...careful?" It came out as a question. My face flushed.

"Don't worry, Dad," I replied, suddenly feeling slightly warm. "I know how to handle myself."

Charlie huffed and shook his head, and then turned to head into the living room. I rushed up to my room, trying to escape the awkwardness of that conversation. The almost-sex-talk. I shuddered.

* * *

I spent the rest of the week with Edward, mostly. We made a few deliveries for Esme, but mostly it was just the two of us. We watched movies, cooked together, listened to music, made out (a lot), and really started to know each other. Edward constantly amazed me with his perception of so many things, like the reason why he likes to watch the creek behind his house at night.

"The stars are reflected in the water," he said on the day that we sat at the water's edge. "It's like I'm surrounded by stars, both above me and below me."

Another time, he played a song for me on the baby grand piano sitting in a tucked away room in the Cullen home. It was amazing to watch him play; he was so absorbed in the music, his body swayed with every crescendo and his eyes would shut as his fingers danced over the keys. He had this look of utter peace on his face, and I was afraid to say anything to disturb him until he opened his eyes and gave me a shy smile.

He has this beautiful way of looking at things, and while I'm thrilled that he shares it with me, it's such a shame that no else can see this side of him. I wonder if Alice or the rest of them are even aware that Edward can be like this. Probably not.

One day Esme asked us to go grocery shopping for her. She was spending the day in Seattle with some clients, so she asked us to pick up food for the family and for some of the orders later in the week. Edward and I drove to the Thriftway with multiple lists.

"I don't know if we can get this all in one trip," I said to Edward. We were each pushing a shopping cart.

"Here, let's split it," he said, handing me a couple lists. "We can meet up when we're done, and it'll take less time."

We parted ways, in search of the items on our lists. It actually took quite a bit of time; there were ingredients that showed up on more than one list, and I had to double-check to make sure I got the right kinds of ingredients, too. I was relieved when I finally shoved the last couple of items on the list into my overflowing cart. I started to head for the main area near the checkout lines, pulling out my cell phone to find where Edward was. Before I could call him, though, I saw his familiar bronze head of hair a few yards in front of me. As I sped up to reach him, I saw he wasn't alone.

He was talking to Jessica Stanley, from school. Or rather, she was doing most of the talking. He was just standing there, clearly uncomfortable. On my first day of school in Forks last year, Jessica immediately started following me around. She acted nice and tried to show me around, but by the end of the day I realized that she was only hanging around me because I was the "new girl" and I had all this attention constantly on me. I made other friends, but she still continued to sit with me at lunch. She could be petty and incredibly shallow.

Edward's expression turned from anxious to relieved as he saw me approach them. Jessica prattled on.

"I think that would be so fun, don't you? Like, we could go First Beach, or maybe go camping!" she said. She fluttered her eyes at him, trying to flirt. I pulled my cart up to the two of them, and Jessica threw a glance at me.

"Oh, hey Bella!" she greeted. She looked at my full cart. "Just doing some shopping? I was just looking for some ice cream and I ran into Edward here." She gave him a look that I guessed was her trying to be seductive. I internally rolled my eyes.

"Yeah," I offered. "I know, um, he's here with me, actually."

Jessica's eyes grew wide as I moved to stand next to Edward. "Oh, are you helping him shop?"

"Yup," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. My fingers reached down and laced themselves with Edward's. Jessica's eyes just about popped out of her head.

"I see," she nearly gasped out. She gave me an analyzing look. "Well that's...cute."

I ignored the slightly condescending tone of her voice and looked up at Edward. "Ready to go?"

He nodded. I smiled at Jessica.

"It's nice seeing you," I said politely. She smiled back, but it was strained.

"Yeah, uh, see you later," she replied, and as she left I saw her whip out her cell phone and begin to text furiously. I shook my head.

"Thanks for that," Edward said, grateful. "I couldn't get her to shut up."

I laughed. "Yeah, there's few things that can."

He chuckled, too. I slipped out of his grasp and grabbed my cart. As we made our way to the checkout line, Edward piped up again.

"Bella?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for showing her that I'm yours, too."

My heart clenched at his words, and as I thought about it, I realized that I had no idea how completely I was _his_. Not until now.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought in a review!**


	7. Public

**Soooo...hey guys! I know, I know. It's been forever. There's no excuse for my lack of updating. But, just as I promised before, I will NOT abandon this story. It may take time to update and finish, but I fully intend on completing this story!**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

**~MissSingItAll**

* * *

**Chapter Seven - Public**

The sound of the doorbell ringing pulled me away from the sink where I was washing dishes. I wiped my hands quickly on a dish towel and hurried down the hall, my feet padding gently against the hardwood floor.

Esme's spring of orders had died down a little, so she gave me a little break until further notice. I busied myself with the chores that I had neglected to do while I was making deliveries for her.

"Bella!" Alice greeted me cheerfully when I pulled the front door open.

"Hey Alice," I said, stepping aside to let her in. She skipped inside, the hem of her green sundress swishing around her knees. She followed me back to the kitchen, where I resumed my place at the sink.

"So, what's up?" I asked, grabbing a plate and dunking it into the water. Alice didn't really stop by often, so her appearance here was a bit surprising. Still, we were getting closer now that everyone was aware that I was with Edward.

"Well, it's Jasper's birthday in a few days, and I came over here to personally invite you! It's a surprise party," she said, plopping down on chair at the dining table.

"Um, thanks. I'll be there," I replied, scrubbing the last plate. "But you know, you could have just texted me."

"I know, but I think it's high time we had some girl time, don't you think?"

"I don't know..." I rinsed the sink clean and when I was finished, I turned to look at Alice. She was gazing at me thoughtfully, her hands cradling her petite face as she rested her elbows on the table.

"Well, I'm bored, and besides, you still haven't told me anything about you and Edward," she said.

I blew a strand of hair out of my face. "There's nothing to tell. We're together, that's it."

"Yeah, yeah, but how did you get together? Did he ask you? Did you ask him? Was he romantic?" The questions seemed to burst from her tiny figure.

I sighed, feeling a little uncomfortable. It's not that I was ashamed or wanted to hide things about Edward and myself; I just didn't feel like talking about it with her, or anyone, really. I felt that what Edward and I had wasn't even really boyfriend and girlfriend, but something beyond. We just fit together. Of course, I kept this all to myself. I didn't want to scare Edward off with my intense musings. "I don't know, Alice. It was...a little strange at first."

"What do you mean?"

"Well..." I certainly didn't want her to know about the fact that Esme practically begged me to be her son's friend. I didn't like thinking about it.

"Well, what?"

"It just kind of happened suddenly, that's all. Come on, Alice," I implored, my tone pleading her not to ask any more questions. Alice narrowed her eyes at me, her mouth curving into a pout.

"Okay," she huffed, "but I'm gonna get the details sooner or later."

I repressed a small shudder. _I hope not._

Alice sighed. "You done?" she asked, nodding her head in the direction of the sink. I nodded and she stood gracefully from her seat. "Good!" she exclaimed, and her arm shot out to grab mine. Before I could ask her what she was doing, she started dragging me out of the kitchen. She pulled me down the hall and into the living room, where she moved both of us to sit on the couch. Kicking up her feet, she looked at me happily.

"Girl time!" she explained, and I nearly groaned. Alice swatted my arm. "Now, what are you doing for the rest of the day?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I'm hanging out with Edward later."

"Well, until then, we're going to have some fun!" she exclaimed.

I was a little nervous at first, knowing how Alice could be. We actually ended up having a pretty low-key afternoon. We watched some celebrity news show and Alice babbled on about all the celebrities she loved and hated, and afterwards we went up to my room. Alice shook her head sadly as she poked around in my closet. "I need to take you shopping," she stated while trying to somehow put together outfits out of the clothes that I had. As the afternoon faded into early evening, Charlie came home from work, and Alice practically charmed the pants of off him. She stayed for dinner and we chatted comfortably over root beer floats. Alice was actually fun to hang out with; I guess I wasn't sure what to expect after what had happened with the whole group and Edward.

Ten minutes before Edward was supposed to come get me, Alice was stooped over me as I sat on the edge of my bed. She wanted to do my makeup, but when I showed her the limited supply I had she simply sighed and told me to close my eyes. She was now running her hands through my hair after she had brushed it.

"Well, I guess it's alright that you didn't have much makeup," she mused, moving my hair about randomly on my head. "You don't even really need it."

"Yeah, right," I said. Alice tsked.

"No really, Bella. Look." Her hands left my head, and I opened my eyes. She held a small mirror in front of me, and the girl I saw there was fresh-faced and glowing. Her cheeks were a faint pink, and her eyes were framed with thick lashes. Her brown hair settled naturally on her shoulder and around her face.

"Wow," I said, turning my head to look at my face in different angles. "You sure know how to work, Alice."

"I didn't have to work hard," she beamed. "You're naturally pretty, Bella."

I scoffed, standing up and stretching. The doorbell chimed downstairs, and I grabbed my phone and keys and slipped them into my pocket. Alice and I made our way downstairs and down the hall, passing Charlie in the process.

"Not too late, Bells," he called out.

"Kay," I replied, just as Alice waved at him. I unlocked the front door and was met with my favorite sight. Edward stood shyly on the porch, hands tucked into his pockets. His eyes roamed over my face for a moment, and then we both broke out into a smile at the same time.

"Hey," I greeted quietly.

"Hey," he replied, just as muted. Alice stepped out from behind me, a Cheshire cat grin spread across her face.

"See you guys later," she said slyly as she slipped past me and headed down the stairs. Edward and I both said goodbye, and we watched as she got into her car and left. Edward turned back to me.

"Ready?" he asked, offering me his arm. I nodded and shut the door behind me, then stepped forward to take his arm. When we reached the passenger door of his Volvo, he turned to face me and wrapped me in his arms. I sighed happily, and his head bowed down to rest against mine. His lips pressed again mine chastely, but with warmth and tenderness. I melted in his arms, and my hands reached up to rest on his chest. He pulled back just a little and looked me in the eyes.

"I missed you today," he said softly. I shivered at how low his voice sounded.

"I missed you too," I responded. I was certain that I could just stay like this in his arms forever and be perfectly content, but after another moment he fully pulled away and moved to open the passenger door for me. I smiled at him as I slid in, and soon after he was buckled in on his side and we were off.

"So, where are we going?" I asked, easing back into my seat. Edward shook his head.

"Not telling," he replied. He kept staring forward, but a small grin lit up his face.

"I don't do well with surprises," I huffed, but he only chuckled.

"It's not really a big deal, Bella," he assured, and reached over the console to grab my hand. "Relax."

I sighed and squeezed his hand back. I thought about pestering him more, but he had that content smile plastered on and I didn't want it to go away.

We drove for a little while longer, leaving flat land behind and passing thick clumps of green trees. Soon the clumps ran into continuous lines until all we saw were trees on either side. The sky was fading from late afternoon into night, casting a purple hue over everything. The guardrails on the sides of the highway eventually cut out, and after another moment Edward finally pulled over.

"It's a little bit of a walk, but you should be fine," he said, unbuckling his seatbelt.

"A walk? Where are you taking us?"

"I just want to show you something," he replied, and once he helped me out of my seat, he led us away from the highway and down a deserted path. Along the way Edward pushed branches and logs out of the way for me, and soon I felt my legs begin to tire. _A walk? More like a hike, _I thought as time went on. Finally, Edward pushed through another group of bushes and stopped, signifying we had arrived at our destination. I peeked from around him and gasped.

We were at the edge of a meadow, a perfect circle of tall, light grass gently waving in the breeze. Dark trees surrounded the edge, and sprinkled throughout the grass were the remnants of spring's blossoms; blues, purples, and pinks dotted the light green. It was peacefully quiet and I'm sure that there was no touch of civilization for miles around.

"Oh, Edward," I sighed. "It's beautiful."

"I come here to think sometimes," he murmured, not wanting to upset the peace. He took my hand and moved us forward. We stopped at the center of the meadow and Edward dropped down to sit. I plunked down next to him and leaned into him as he wrapped his arms around me.

"I love it," I told him, burrowing further into his hold on me. I did love it; this simple act showed that was Edward opening up to me, trusting me, and I was thrilled. "Thank you for showing me."

He smiled. "I haven't been here in while. Usually I come here when I'm stressed. But now that I have you..." he trailed off, and I felt my eyes tear up. I couldn't believe what he just said: that the utter peace and tranquility that he finds from coming here he now gets from spending time with me. I sniffled, and his eyes darted to my face, alarmed.

"What's wrong? Did I do something?" he asked, and I shook my head fiercely, tears trickling down my face.

"No, you idiot. You sweet, gorgeous, wonderful idiot," I half-sobbed, clutching him tighter to me. I was growing hysterical; what the hell was wrong with me?

Edward was baffled. "Bella?"

My heart couldn't take it. Here I was in this beautiful place with this beautiful boy, and I was having some kind of fit. I tried to breathe, taking in huge gulps of air.

"I'm...sor...sorry," I finally gasped out. He rubbed my back gently.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah...I just..." I shook my head, trying to get a hold of myself. I took several large deep breaths until I finally felt my body begin to calm. Edward held me the whole time, and I knew he was dying to know what had just happened.

"Better now?" he asked quietly.

I nodded, wiping the tears from my face.

"What happened?"

"It's nothing," I said, trying to brighten up. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Edward looked at me, concerned.

"Yeah," I replied. Edward gave me another probing look, and then decided to let it go. As we fell back into silence, I looked all around us, drawing peace from the meadow and Edward himself. After a while, Edward piped up quietly.

"You look beautiful, Bella. I mean, you always do, but today especially," he complimented. My cheeks grew warm, and he laughed and pressed a kiss to my temple. He continually surprised me with how good he was at this; at how good he was with caring for me.

We stayed in the meadow for a little while longer, until no more traces of the sun were present in the sky. Eventually, Edward helped me up and we made our way back to his car. As we drove back into the depths of Forks, Edward let the windows down and I could smell the scent of rain faintly in the air.

* * *

The next day, Edward and I found ourselves in the middle of downtown Forks, switching between window shopping and people watching. Esme wanted us back at the house this afternoon so we could help her cook; someone had ordered catering for a little kid's birthday party. For now, we just spent our free time together, and at this moment I was trying to get Edward to help me figure out what to get Jasper for his birthday.

"But Edward, as much as I've hung out with them, I feel like I barely know the guy," I said, swinging our linked hands together.

"Jasper's a simple guy. I'm sure he'll like whatever you get him," he replied.

"Edward, please," I nearly whined. "I don't want to let him, or more importantly, Alice, down!"

"Okay, okay," he soothed, chuckling. "Why don't we go to that music store a few blocks down? Jasper's an old rock band kind of guy. I'm sure we'll find something for him there."

An hour later, Edward and I stepped out of Forks' only music store, each with a bag in hand. Edward had helped me pick out a couple of CDs and grabbed some blank staff paper for himself. We playfully teased each other as we made our way back to my truck. I drove us back to the Cullen's house, where Esme awaited us with an apron clinched around her petite waist.

"There you two are! Did you have fun downtown?" she asked, handing us each an apron.

"Yes, we did," I replied. Edward pulled the apron out of my hands and helped me tie it around my body. When he finished, he kissed me warmly on the cheek and moved to worked on his own apron. I blushed instantly as I met Esme's gaze. Edward and I hadn't actually told her about us being together yet, so PDA in front of his mother was definitely uncharted territory. Esme's eyes widened with surprise at first, and then her face shifted into an expression of pure joy. Her beaming grin seemed to brighten the whole room, and I flushed a deeper red as I gave her a smile back and turned away. Edward was oblivious to our whole exchange.

"How can we help, Mom?" he asked.

"I need about four dozen cupcakes," Esme squeaked out, her voice thick with emotion. She cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders. "Let's get to it! A party for a bunch of eight year-olds waits for no one."

We spent the majority of the afternoon mixing batter, baking, and frosting. Esme mostly left us to the baking while she worked on other dishes, and Edward had me laughing as he tried to get frosting on me at random points throughout our process. I caught Esme staring at us a few times, her happiness clear on her face.

After we had boxed up the fruits of our labor, Esme sent Edward out to start load everything into my truck. I went to follow him, but Esme stopped me in my tracks.

"Just a second," she said, her eyes searching over my head to make sure that Edward had gone. When it was quiet, she spoke again, her voice hushed and deep. "You two are together, yes?"

"Yes," I breathed, my face going red again. "I'm sorry, Esme. We should have told you earlier and-"

"Oh, don't be silly!" she exclaimed, and she moved to wrap her arms around me in a tight hug. "I couldn't imagine anyone better for him than you, dear. I suspected you two had something going on, Edward's just been so happy."

She pulled away and laughed at the incredulous look on my face. "I know that you're taking care of him, Bella. Just know that I'm so thankful."

I didn't really know what to say; I felt a kind of unexpected thrill at her acceptance of us as a couple. Edward walked back in at that moment, oblivious and ready to take the next set of boxes. With a content expression on her face, Esme simply winked at me and hurried us off.

* * *

When Alice first mentioned Jasper's surprise party, I'd figured that it would be a small get-together with family and friends. I was wrong.

It seemed the entire population of Forks High School was crammed into the first floor of the Hale's large home. There were surprisingly no cars parked on the street in front of the house, but a glance around the corner revealed a whole line of them hidden from immediate view. Edward pulled us into the driveway and we hopped out, hurrying inside. Emmett and Rosalie led us to a hiding place behind a wall leading to the kitchen.

"Alice is out with Jasper. She just texted me and they should be back within fifteen minutes," Emmett said. Rosalie tugged impatiently on his arm and pulled him away before he could say anything else.

Edward and I shrugged at each other and I spotted the gift table, overflowing with presents. I placed Edward's and my gifts on the table and stepped back, only to run into a warm body behind me.

"Looks like we have some time to kill," Edward murmured in my ear, his voice low and his warm breath tickling my neck. A shiver skated up my spine.

"Looks like we do," I replied, turning around to face him. His arms wound around my waist. As our eyes met, I felt the air around us become charged with a kind of hot electricity.

"So what should we do about that?" he asked, his lips rising in a slight smirk. _Whoa. _I never seen this side of Edward before, but I liked it. A lot. I was also thrilled that he had reached this point: that he was confident enough to really up the flirting. I leaned further into him.

"I have an idea," I breathed, and I stretched up onto my toes. Edward's head dropped down to meet mine, and our lips had only just brushed together when a sharp gasp interrupted us, making us jump apart in surprise.

"Oh, sorry! Didn't know anyone was in here!" Jessica Stanley exclaimed, falsity dripping from her tone. She and Lauren Mallory were at the front of a small group of girls clustered in the entryway. A few heads poked around, trying to get a glance at us. Lauren's eyes were practically popping out of her head.

"Looks like we'll have to find another hiding spot. Sorry to, um, interrupt," Jessica said, a smirk curling her lips. She started back away, pushing the cluster of girls back through the entryway. As they shuffled out, I could hear Jessica faintly chirp, "I told you so!"

I sighed and turned my attention back to Edward. He was frowning, his green eyes still locked on the place where the group of girls had been.

"Don't listen to them, Edward. They're just a bunch of gossipy bimbos," I said firmly, and his gaze shot back to me.

"I know," he murmured. "I just don't want them saying anything bad about you on my account."

"I don't care what they think," I replied. I gripped one of his hands tightly between both of mine. "They're certainly not my friends, so why should I?"

"It's just..." he trailed off, looking down at the floor. I was about to encourage him to continue when Emmett's booming voice cut clear across the house.

"Shut the hell up everybody! Alice says they're coming down the street!" he bellowed.

"Could you repeat that? I don't think they heard you over in Seattle!" Rosalie snapped. Everyone laughed before quieting down. Edward and I moved closer to the entryway, but remained hidden. A few minutes of uncertain silence went by before we could hear the murmur of conversation and the click-clack of high-heeled shoes move to the front door.

"Come on, Jazz," Alice cooed, pushing the door open. She quickly stepped to the side as Jasper entered.

"Why are the lights off?" Jasper mumbled, and his hand wandered over the wall to flick up the light switch.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone collectively sprang from their hiding spots, and Jasper backed up several feet in shock. After a few seconds, a smile broke across his face, and he began receiving hugs and well wishes as Alice clung to his side, beaming.

The party went on as such parties normally did; loud music and dancing, coupled with a few people sneaking in some booze. Eventually, people were running around the house gleefully, and I learned from Emmett that Jasper and Rosalie's parents had given them permission to have this party. I was pretty sure they didn't expect the alcohol, though. Edward stuck to my side for most of the time, and he stayed silent while I briefly chatted with the few friends that I hadn't seen since school had gotten out.

After finishing a quick conversation with Angela Weber, I turned to look at Edward. He was staring off, his eyes slightly unfocused. I stood on my toes and stretched my neck to kiss the edge of his jaw.

"Where'd you go?" I asked softly, and his eyes met mine apologetically.

"Sorry," he replied, the corner of his lips rising in a slight smile. "Just thinking."

"Come on," I said, lacing our fingers together. "Let's go find the birthday boy."

We talked around the first floor of the house, squeezing our way through large groups of people. Jasper and Alice were just ending a conversation with some other classmates when we finally found them in the front room. Alice was leaning into Jasper's side, giggling up at him as his arm wrapped around her tiny waist.

"Hey Bella, Edward," Jasper greeted, nodding at us. "Thanks for coming!"

"Happy Birthday, Jasper," I said, throwing him a smile. Edward murmured his greeting beside me.

"I can't believe how many people are crammed into this house right now," Jasper laughed, his eyes wandering over the masses. "I hope Mom and Dad don't find out."

"Don't worry, Rose and I made sure that all breakables and valuables are hidden and locked away," Alice said reassuringly. "And I'll make Emmett help clean up."

"Like that'll ever happen," Edward joked, and we all froze. I gaped at him, and a small, shy grin graced his lips. I laughed then, thrilled that he felt comfortable enough to tease all on his own. Alice giggled and Jasper fist-bumped him with a smile.

"Hey guys! What's so funny?" A voice cut through the air over to where we were standing. We all turned to see Mike Newton, Tyler Crowley, and several other guys from school approach us in one large group.

"Bella, hey," Mike sauntered up to me, nursing a red plastic cup full of what I assumed was some kind of alcohol. I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. Mike had a little crush on me, ever since I moved here to Forks. I thought that once the novelty of being the new kid had worn off, he would leave me alone, but I was wrong. I had to politely (for the most part) decline his advances at least once a week during the school year.

"Hi Mike," I replied half-heartedly. Edward tensed minutely beside me.

"Shots for the birthday boy!" Tyler yelled as several guys raised their hands, holding shot glasses. Jasper laughed as someone passed one to him, and together they toasted and downed the alcohol quickly.

"So, Bella," Mike clears his throat, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. "How's your summer been going?"

"Fine, I guess," I said, taking a small step back from him. _Ugh, please leave me alone. _

"We should hang out more often, you know? I still feel like I barely know you," he responded.

"Umm..." I trailed off, not really wanting to say that his unfamiliarity with me was on purpose. "I don't know, I've been pretty busy."

"Oh, did you get a summer job? Let me know when you get a day off and we'll go from there. Do you have my number?" he said, seeming to ignore how uncomfortable and slightly annoyed I was while talking to him.

"Look, Mike," I sighed, squaring my shoulders. I was ready to end this stupid crush once and for all. "I don't think I'll be needing your number."

"What do you mean?"

"You've been very...kind to me ever since I moved here, and I'm really grateful. But, you should know that I am seeing someone," I hedged, trying to let him down gently. Mike's eyes widened and his posture seemed to droop before my eyes.

"Who?" he asked.

"Well -" I started, but the said someone spoke up before I could finish.

"She's with me," Edward stated simply, bringing the group's attention to him. I smiled at him and laced my fingers with his.

"What? _Cullen?_" Mike exclaimed with disbelief, his eyes drawn to our joined hands. Some of the boys in the group chuckled lightly.

"Well damn, Cullen. I didn't think you had it in you," Tyler said, a smirk at the edge of his lips.

"I thought he was gay," another guy called out, and the whole group snickered cruelly.

"Come on, guys," Jasper protested, his eyes anxiously darting back and forth between Edward and the group of guys.

"Are you serious, Bella? You picked him over me?" Mike was genuinely shocked. I glared at him.

"Yes, Mike. So you can stop with the desperate attempts to ask me out," I snapped, and a few of the guys laughed out loud. Mike's face quickly burned bright red.

"Cullen's just a sorry-ass wimp, and you're an idiot for choosing him," Mike hissed, and my entire body stiffened with rage.

"Mike!" Alice gasped, clutching Jasper's arm.

"Don't you dare call her an idiot," Edward seethed, his voice icy cold. I'd never heard him speak like that before, and when I looked closely at him I noticed that the tendons in his neck were stretched and strained with anger.

"Oh shut up, Cullen! What are you gonna do about it? You're nothing but an emo pussy who finally has one friend to play with," Mike spat. His friends came to his aid.

"Watch yourself, Cullen."

"You're lucky that a girl has even looked at you, let alone talked to you."

"You're nothing."

"Stop it!" I yelled at them, stepping forward. Fury burned through my veins. Jasper moved to them as well, stopping in between the guys and Edward and myself.

"Guys, stop. Mike, man, cool it. We're just having fun here, okay? Come on," Jasper coaxed.

Mike threw another angry glance at Edward. "Whatever," he finally said, and turned quickly to stomp away. The other guys followed him, also throwing threatening looks at Edward. I sighed, dropping Edward's hand to run my hands through my hair.

"I'm sorry, Jasper," I apologized. "I know they're your friends. I was just so done with Mike's flirting. I had to say something."

"It's fine, really," Jasper replied, shrugging his shoulders. "The alcohol's just messing up their judgment, that's all."

"If you're sure." I could tell he was a bit concerned, but decided not to push further. It was _his _birthday, after all, and he didn't need anything more to stress over. I was still upset at the things they had said, so I reached for Edward's hand and excused ourselves from Alice and Jasper's company. I led Edward further into the living room, but he stopped us from moving after a few seconds.

"Edward?" I looked up into his eyes, which were downcast and anguished. His face was twisted into an expression of pain, as if at any moment he would burst into tears. My face fell, and I reached up to cup his cheek.

"What's wrong?" I whispered, agonized. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.

"I need to go," he said suddenly, and he pulled away from my grasp. He turned and walked briskly towards the front door, pulling it open and darting quickly outside.

I was frozen in surprise for a few seconds, staring at the door. Then, as my body and thoughts kicked into overdrive, I ran to the door myself and threw it open, hoping to catch up with him. One quick glance around the porch confirmed the opposite.

He was gone.

* * *

**A/N: Please let me know what you guys think! Review!**


	8. Tumultuous

**Hey everyone! I know, I know that it's been forever since I last updated, and for that, I'm sorry! Thank you all those who continued to review and favorite this story despite not getting a new chapter for almost a year. But, as I've said before, I will absolutely finish this story.**

**Alright, I'll talk more at the end since I know you want to get to the actual story, so here it is!**

**Happy reading!**

**~MissSingItAll**

* * *

**Chapter Eight - Tumultuous**

"Edward?" I called, looking across the nearly empty front yard. There were only a few people just standing around talking, the darkness of night turning their figures into black silhouettes. None of them matched Edward's tall, lean form.

I walked across the lawn, my eyes searching for any sign of him. I crossed the street and turned to examine the entire front of the property, hoping to catch a glance of him. Unfortunately, the few people that I passed on my way out were the only ones there.

I sighed, running my hand over my forehead in frustration. _That boy can really move when he wants to._

I decided to walk down the street, knowing that Edward probably wouldn't be anywhere near the house where all those jerks were currently roaming. Reaching the long line of cars hidden on the side street, I passed each car in worried silence as I kept looking for him. Finally, as I drew closer to where we had parked earlier, I glimpsed a dark figure hunched over in the driver's seat of Edward's Volvo. Relieved, I sped up my pace and stopped in front of the passenger side, leaning in to look at him through the window.

His large, pale hands were gripping the steering wheel tightly, and as my gaze trailed up his arms I saw that his shoulders were shaking softly. My breath hitched, my heart ached, and I threw open the door without a second thought.

Edward jumped in surprise, but he stayed facing forward, arms still grasping the wheel in front of him. I slipped into the passenger seat and shut the door, shutting us off from the outside world. He was taking quick, shallow breaths, and for a moment that was the only sound in the enclosed space. Taking a deep breath, I timidly broke the silence.

"Edward?"

He stayed silent.

"Edward, please talk to me," I said quietly. "Don't keep this all in."

"Bella," he breathed, agony and sadness and resignation coating his rough tone. "I'm sorry, but they're right."

"No!" I almost shrieked, turning fully to face him. "Don't you dare believe anything that they said, Edward Cullen!"

"But they're right," he repeated, his shoulders finally slumping and his hands sliding off the steering wheel. "I don't even know why you're with me, Bella."

"You want to know why I'm with you?" I reached out and shoved his shoulder, forcing him to move to face me. "I'm with you because you're a kind, wonderful person. You're smart and funny and sweet and everything that I wish I could be. You're way better than anyone at that party, and you don't need their approval to prove it."

He was stubbornly shaking his head before I had finished, and I felt my face heat up with irritation. Why couldn't he believe what I was saying?

"I'm with you because I want to be! I'm with you because I love you!" I practically shouted, and then I gasped, my hands flying to cover my mouth in surprise.

Both of our eyes grew wide, and we just stared at each other. The seconds ticked on, but neither of us dared to speak. I hadn't meant for that to come out at all. But, as my declaration echoed in my mind, I knew that it was true. I loved Edward.

"You love me?" he whispered unsteadily. I could only nod, uncertainty beginning to creep over me.

His gaze dropped to his hands, and the more that I stared at him the more withdrawn he seemed to become. The blankness that started to consume his features scared me.

"I'll take you home," he finally said, and he turned his key in the ignition. The car lurched as we pulled off the curb quickly, almost as if Edward couldn't get away from the place fast enough.

We sped down the dark streets trapped in an unnerving quiet. The unsure feeling that had come over me blossomed more fully in my chest the closer we got to my house. I wanted to say something to calm him - and myself - but it was as if my tongue was glued to the roof of my mouth. His hands were locked onto the steering wheel again, knuckles white.

In no time at all, we were sitting in front of my house. The driveway was empty, for Charlie had told me that he was spending the evening over in La Push with a few friends. Edward slipped his seatbelt off and stepped out of the car, walking over to my side. He pulled the door open for me, just like any other day. Only this time, his face remained eerily blank as he offered me his hand as I stepped out.

We walked up onto the front porch together, and the sight of my front door finally freed the words bound by my lips.

"Edward, listen to me," I said roughly. "I do love you. I wish you could see that I really do mean it."

He just nodded, continuing to shut himself away from me. I sighed, frustrated and a little hurt. This was going all wrong. Weren't declarations of love supposed to be followed up by some kind of grand romantic comedy moment, like an overzealous make out session? Instead, I felt as if I was getting pushed away.

"Did you want to come in? I could make us something and we could just watch a movie," I offered, simultaneously trying to reach out to him and soothe the small pricks of rejection I felt at his lack of a response.

"Um, sure, I guess," he mumbled, one of his large hands reaching up to scratch the back of his head.

I turned to unlock the front door and led him inside. As we passed the living room I ordered him over to sit on the couch. I continued into the kitchen and pulled out glasses for lemonade that I had made earlier in the day. I poured our drinks and brought them into the living room. Edward was perched on the edge of the couch, fidgeting with his hands. I offered him his glass and he took it silently. Anxiously, I eased myself down next to him. We each took small sips of our drinks in the deafening quiet.

"Are you hungry? I know we didn't really eat before going to Jasper's..." I trailed off. He shook his head.

"I'm fine," he repiled quietly. His almost emotionless face contradicted his statement.

"Edward," I sighed, leaning forward to place my drink on the coffee table. He slowly did the same. "Please, tell me what's on your mind," I begged, reaching for his hand. His long fingers curled around mine, and then fell limp. His gaze fixed on the table as he began to speak.

"I just...I don't...I don't know what to think anymore, Bella," he murmured softly. "Days like this I feel like I should let you go."

"Let me go?" I gasped, feeling my heart sink. "Do you want to...break up with me?"

Just the thought of losing him made my chest ache and my stomach clench. But if that was what Edward wanted, I couldn't stop him. His fingers tightened around my now trembling hand.

"No. I want to be with you," he assured me, and I let out a shaky breath. "Some days I just hate myself for being the way I am. I wish I could be better for you."

"Edward, no," I said, scooting closer to him. "You don't have to be better for me. I love you as you are." It slipped out so naturally, the word love. But it was still really strange to hear out loud, and I could tell Edward thought it weird as well when he tensed slightly. My shoulders sagged as he offered no response.

My phone buzzed in my pocket then, and I fished it out with my free hand. It was a text from Alice.

_Where are you guys?_

I texted back, not really wanting to get into it with her right now.

**My house. Text you later.**

Edward had scooted closer to the edge of the couch. Everything in his expression and posture gave away how uncomfortable he was getting. I was torn between letting him leave and begging him to stay. Finally, as a kind of wild desperation seeped into his eyes, I sighed.

"I'm sorry," I said, forlorn. "Please, just call me tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah," he replied, standing quickly. He seemed to breathe much easier as I stood and faced him. I leaned in to brush my lips against his, and he kept his mouth chastely closed. Frowning slightly, I looked up at him.

"Goodnight, Bella," he mumbled, and nearly sprinted to the door. He let himself out, and I let myself fall back to the couch, unsure of what to do now.

* * *

I figured that sleeping the entire evening off would help clear my mind and hoped that things would be better the next day.

I was wrong.

For starters, I couldn't sleep. I spend the night rolling and thrashing all over my bed trying to make myself comfortable, but my mind was racing with thoughts of Edward. The entire night was spent staring into various corners of my room while Edward's sad eyes constantly bombarded my mind. Eventually, morning came; I waited until I heard Charlie leave for the day, and then I pulled myself out of bed and got ready.

All morning I waited for Edward to call. I tried not to give in to the temptation of texting him, but uncertainty was nagging at me as each hour passed. I forced myself to start cleaning around the house instead, but that proved to be a bust since I had cleaned the whole house only a few days ago. The clock hit lunch hour but I couldn't bring myself to eat anything, and the nagging soon turning into full-fledged worry.

As I picked things up around the living room, my phone started ringing. I seized it, relieved but still slightly anxious, until I noticed Alice's name flash across the screen.

"Hello?"

"Bella, what happened? You never texted me back! Why did Edward come home so upset? Was it the party? Why did you leave early?"

"Whoa, Alice, slow down!" Her voice rose in pitch with each question, and it was starting to hurt my ears.

"Okay," she breathed, "first of all, why'd you guys leave so fast?"

"We just needed to get away, that's all. Mike kind of put a damper on things," I explained. I was pretty sure that Edward had not told Alice about anything that happened after the whole ordeal with Mike, so I decided not to reveal anything else as well.

"Yeah, he was an ass," she agreed. "I know you ended up at your house, but why did Edward seem so upset when he came home? I thought he had some time to recover when he was with you."

"I don't know," I sighed, although I knew his mood had to do with my confession. I wasn't about to let Alice in on it; she didn't need to know that I had accidentally professed my love to her brother just yet. Not until I figured out what Edward thought about everything.

"Well, he seems really distressed about something. I haven't seen him like this before," Alice replied.

"I'll talk to him and see if I can figure out what's wrong," I said, already wanting this conversation to be over. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy talking to Alice; her brother was just a bigger priority for me right now. We wrapped up our little chat quickly, and after I hung up I paced warily around the kitchen.

I didn't want to pressure Edward, but I really wanted to know how he was doing. Also, a part of me - a very selfish, insecure part of me - wanted to know if he felt the same way I did. I knew that I loved him, and if he loved me back I would be indescribably happy. But I also just wasn't sure what I would do if he didn't.

I decided to give him some time. I know that I told Alice that I'd talk to him, but he _did _say he would call me first. I should let him set the pace...

Or, maybe I should just check up on him? See if he needed anything? _Ugh. _This was so frustrating. I had never been in this situation before, and now that I am I feel like a thirteen year-old freaking out over her crush.

No, no. I will give him time. I will let him be, and in the meantime, I'll just slowly go insane.

_Oh, Bella,_ I thought to myself,_ what have you gotten yourself into?_

* * *

The rest of the day was Edward-free. He didn't call, and I forced myself to stay at home. My apprehension clung to me like a strong perfume; Charlie, in an unusually perceptive move, asked me if I was feeling well at dinner, and I was barely able to convince him that I was fine. That night, I went to bed earlier than usual just so I could get the day over with. My previous sleepless night caught up with me as I bundled myself into my comforter, and I soon fell into a dreamless sleep.

In the morning, another phone call from Alice brought an end to my seemingly endless fretting.

"Hey Alice," I answered, throwing myself onto my bed.

"I think you need to come see Edward," she said. I sat up quickly.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"He's really emotional right now. He actually blew up at our parents last night," she explained. "He's never done that before."

I jumped up and started to search my floor for my shoes. Edward getting angry at his parents? I couldn't imagine it.

"I'll definitely come over and see him, if he's still home?"

"Yeah, sure. He's mostly been in his room, so maybe a visit from you will cheer him up."

"Okay, I'll be over in a few," I said. Admittedly, I was nervous about seeing Edward. I didn't want to pressure him if he still needed space, but I also really needed to see if he was okay.

The combination of anxiety, frustration, and worry had increased exponentially by the time I found myself outside the Cullens' front door. Alice let me in, grateful for the additional company. Her parents were at work and Jasper was "hanging with his bros," as she put it.

"What about Rosalie?" I asked.

"She's with Emmett," Alice said, leading me into the living room. We stopped in front of the large staircase. I gripped the end of the banister, tracing the pattern of the wood grain with suddenly shaky fingers.

"Edward's just up in his room, like I said," Alice continued, seemingly oblivious to my nerves.

"Yeah, okay," I mumbled. She smiled back at me and skipped away to the back of the house. Taking a steadying breath, I made my way up onto Edward's floor of the house.

His door was closed, and I couldn't hear a sound coming from behind it. Hesitantly, I knocked a coupled times and waited. After a minute or two of silence, I spoke out.

"Edward?"

No response. I knocked again and only waited a couple of seconds before I grasped the door handle and pushed the door open. His room was almost completely dark; the lone source of light came from around the closed curtains over his windows. The floor and furniture were covered with typical teenage boy fare, but my eyes were drawn to the figure hunched over on the large bed.

Edward sat cross-legged on the center of his bed, bronze strands falling over his forehead haphazardly. He didn't look up at my entrance, and as I shut the door behind me he continued to stare desolately at his comforter, pinching parts of it with his long fingers.

"Edward?" I said quietly, slowly making my way over to him. "You okay?"

He started at the sound of my voice, and his sad eyes grew wide as he looked over at me.

"Bella? What are you doing here?"

"Alice invited me over," I replied. "And I was worried about you. What's going on?"

He sighed, and I lifted myself up onto the bed. I reached out for his hands and held them in mine.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I forgot to call you."

"That's okay, Edward," I responded. "Please, what's this all about? Was it..." I trailed off, a fresh wave of nerves washing over me. "Is this about what I said?"

I didn't specify what I was talking about, but I was pretty sure Edward knew. Over the course of the past two days, I grew positive that Edward's change in mood was partly due to my confession of my love for him.

"No, no." He shook his head. "I just don't know what to do."

"About what?" I asked.

"You love me," he murmured, "and I love you, too."

My breath hitched and hope shot through my veins along with adrenaline. "You do?"

"Yes," he said, but his brow was still drawn in a mixture of frustration and sadness. Not exactly what you want to see when someone tells you that they love you.

"Then...what's wrong?"

"I don't know how I could possibly be good enough for you," he nearly spat out, his frustration turning into anger and self-loathing. "I don't understand how you could possibly love me."

"Edward, are you serious? I thought I cleared this up yesterday," I exclaimed. "You are more than enough for me. You're amazing! Please, don't ever think that about yourself."

"Then why does everyone else?" he implored. "Why am I always ignored, or forgotten? It's one thing when those assholes from school treat me like shit, but when my own family suggests that something's wrong with me?" I'd never heard him speak with such venom.

"Your family? What are you talking about?"

"My parents suggested that I see a therapist," he muttered. "That pretty much implies that they think I'm messed up."

"No, not at all," I replied, tilting my head to look into his eyes. This must have caused the fight between him and his parents. "They care about you so much, they only want to see you happy, Edward. And therapy is not a bad thing."

"I'm not going to therapy," he affirmed, growing even tenser.

"I'm not saying that you have to," I said reassuringly, "and you just said that they suggested it, so they're not going to force you to go."

We were both silent for a moment. I let go of Edward's hands so that I could wrap my arms around him. My hands rubbed his stiff shoulders, and slowly, he began to relax.

"I love you," I whispered. His arms hesitantly wound around me.

"I love you, too," he whispered back. I nuzzled into him as he gripped me tighter.

"Please stop doubting yourself," I begged. "You are enough" - I squeezed him - "and you are not messed up. You're absolutely wonderful."

I felt his lips press against my hair, and I moved my head back so I could see his face. His eyes were bright and watering; he gave me a small grin before bringing his lips to mine. I sighed into the kiss, pouring every ounce of love I had for him into every touch of our lips. I knew that from then on, as we kissed and touched in the darkness of his room, that I had to be strong. I had to be strong so that Edward could be strong, too. He just has to believe in himself, and I only hoped that I could help him do that.

* * *

**A/N: So I've been thinking about bumping up the rating of this story to M so that I can follow my outline much more closely (and yes, also probably include some lemons as well). But after all of the stories that have been pulled lately, I don't want to risk it. What do you guys think?**

**As always, reviews are much appreciated!**


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